Here you will find news about US immigration, the best places to live in America, jobs in the USA and other information that may be of interest if you want to move to the United States. Please be aware that Green Card Lottery Experts has no relationship to the websites and links provided below and has no responsibility for their content. This information is offered for the benefit of visitors to our website who decide to click on these links and visit these external websites.
How much money you earn is strongly influenced by your occupation and where you live in the USA. For example, people who live in America’s largest cities typically earn good salaries. According to US Census data from 2022, San Francisco is the wealthiest major city in the United States, with a median household income of $146,872 per year. In neighboring San Jose, California, the median annual household income is $146,143. Median yearly household incomes for other major US cities include: $124,715 in Seattle, Washington; $109,300 in Washington, DC; $106,007 in San Diego, California; $101,421 in Oakland, California; $95,858 in Boston, Massachusetts; $94,066 in Virginia Beach, Virginia; $93,004 in Austin, Texas; $92,274 in Portland, Oregon; $92,249 in Denver, Colorado; $83,440 in Atlanta, Georgia; $82,314 in New York City, New York; and $81,924 in Los Angeles, California. To read more, click here!
The Pew Research Center published a report on July 22, 2024, which summarizes key facts about the immigrant population of the United States. According to this report, there are 46.1 million immigrants living in the USA, accounting for 13.8% of the US population and one fifth of the world’s overall immigrant population. The top countries of birth for immigrants living in the the USA include #1 Mexico (10.6 million), #2 India (2.8 million), #3 China (2.5 million), #4 Philippines (2.0 million) and #5 El Salvador (1.4 million). Data shows that 49% of the immigrants living in the United States are naturalized American citizens, while 24% are US permanent Resident Green Card holders, 4% are temporary legal residents (such as international students and temporary foreign workers), and 23% are undocumented immigrants. The South is home to 35% of the US immigrant population, whereas 33% live in the West, 21% dwell in the Northeast, and 11% reside in the Midwest region. Sixty percent of the immigrants living in the US reside in 20 metropolitan areas (New York City, Los Angeles and Miami have the largest immigrant populations of any city in the United States). To read more, click here!
Immigration to the United States from South America is rising rapidly, according to a new report from the Migration Policy Institute. In fact, South American immigration to the USA grew three times faster than the total US immigration rate for the 2000-2022 time period. As of 2022, there were around 3,971,000 immigrants from South America living in the USA. During 2022, this included about 928,000 immigrants from Colombia; 668,000 from Venezuela; 619,000 from Brazil; 518,000 from Ecuador; 472,000 from Peru; 287,000 from Guyana; 196,000 from Argentina; 111,000 from Chile; 86,000 from Bolivia; 53,000 from Uruguay; and 33,000 immigrants from other countries in South America. The US metropolitan areas with the most immigrants from South America include New York City-Newark-Jersey City (New York-New Jersey) with 913,000; Miami-Fort Lauderdale-Pompano Beach in Florida with 597,000; Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford in Florida with 172,000; Washington-Arlington-Alexandria (District of Columbia/Virginia/Maryland) with 147,000; Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim in California with 129,000; Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land in Texas with 119,000; and Boston-Cambridge-Newton (Massachusetts/New Hampshire) with 115,000 South American immigrants – among other areas. To read more, click here!
Niche has released its data-driven rankings of the best places to live in the United States for 2024, which could be helpful for immigrants trying to decide where to live in the USA. There are several categories, such as best cities, best suburbs, best neighborhoods, best cities for young professionals, most affordable cities, etc.). According to the Niche ranking, the #1 best city to live in America in 2024 is Naperville, Illinois, which received an overall grade of A+ and was graded A+ for Public Schools, A+ on Good for Families, A+ for Health and Fitness, A for Outdoor Activities, A- for Housing, A- for Jobs, A- for Diversity, B+ for Nightlife, B for Crime and Safety, B for Commute, B- for Cost of Living, and C+ for Weather. In general, A = Excellent, B = Good, C = Satisfactory, D = Less than Satisfactory, and F = Unsatisfactory. The other top 10 best cities to live in the USA for 2024 included: #2 The Woodlands, Texas (overall grade = A+); #3 Cambridge, Massachusetts (overall grade = A+); #4 Arlington, Virginia (overall grade = A+); #5 Plano, Texas (overall grade = A+); #6 Irvine, California (overall grade = A+); #7 Columbia, Maryland (overall grade = A+); #8 Overland Park, Kansas (overall score = A+); #9 Ann Arbor, Michigan (overall grade = A+); and #10 Bellevue, Washington (overall grade = A+). To read more, click here!
According to a new forecast by the Congressional Budget Office (CBO), US immigration could increase the gross domestic product (GDP) of the United States by $7 trillion between 2023 and 2034. The CBO reported that increased US immigration results in millions of additional workers, which boosts economic output and generates more tax revenues for the country. The Chairman of the US Federal Reserve recently stated during a television interview that immigration to the USA has benefitted the American economy over the long-term. Sustained US immigration has helped the United States to keep its massive economy growing, despite the fact that millions of older workers are retiring, giving it an advantage over other countries like Japan where the aging population has contributed to an ongoing worker shortage. Elevated US immigration levels are predicted to continue during the 2024-2026 period, according to the director of the CBO. To read more, click here!
The new year of 2024 is off to a good start as the American economy produced an impressive 353,000 US jobs in January, the Labor Department reported. US job creation was much higher than the 185,000 that had been forecast. The Department of Labor also reported that the unemployment rate in the United States remained at a very low 3.7% in January. Furthermore, average hourly wages for American workers increased by a robust 4.5% between January 2023 and January 2024, which was also higher than the estimate. Professional and business services produced 74,000 jobs in the US during January, while healthcare filled 70,000 positions, retail trade added 45,000 roles, government hired 36,000 workers, social assistance jobs increased by 30,000 and an additional 23,000 people were employed in manufacturing. The economy ended 2023 on a strong note, with 330,000 US jobs created in December and an annualized GDP growth rate of 3.3% for the fourth quarter. Healthy economic growth is forecast to continue during 2024 and so far, that prediction seems to be coming true. To read more, click here!
On January 9, 2024, US News & World Report released its ranking of the best jobs in the USA for 2024, which includes information about each occupation’s median annual salary and US job growth forecast for 2022-2032. Nurse Practitioner was ranked as the #1 best job in America for 2022, boasting a median yearly salary of $121,610 and around 118,600 new jobs forecast to be created by 2032. Second place went to Financial Manager, which pays a median salary of $139,790 per year and is expected to have about 126,000 new positions filled during the 10-year period. Software Developer was awarded with third place in the ranking, commanding a median annual salary of $127,260 and projected to generate approximately 410,000 US jobs from 2022 to 2032. IT Manager was ranked the #4 top job in the USA for 2024, pays a median salary of $164,070 per year and new positions are anticipated to increase by 85,900 during the time period examined. The 5th top job in America was Physician Assistant, which has a yearly income of $126,010 and is expected to add an estimated 39,300 US jobs in 2022-2032. To read more, click here!
Almost one million people were approved for US immigration in 2022, sending the foreign-born population of the United States soaring to 46 million. This means around 14% of the 338 million people living in the USA during 2022 were foreign-born. Several of the US states have a higher percentage of foreign-born residents than the national average. California has the highest percentage of foreign-born residents (26.7 percent), followed by New Jersey with 23.5 percent, New York with 22.7 percent, Florida with 21.7 percent and Nevada with 18.9 percent of its population born outside of the United States. To read more, click here!
During 2022, there were significant differences in the growth patterns of median household incomes in the 50 US states. Several states enjoyed a substantial increase in median household incomes compared to the other states. As a reference, the median household income in the United States during 2022 was $74,580 per year ($6,215 per month). Where you live in the USA can affect how much you earn, so knowing which states have the fastest-growing salaries may be something to consider if you are planning to move to America. People working in the state of Delaware had the biggest boost to their median annual household incomes, rising from $74,070 in 2021 to $80,750 in 2022 (an increase of 8.3% or $6,680). Workers in North Dakota experienced the second largest climb in yearly median household income, jumping from $74,280 in 2021 to $78,720 in 2022 (a rise of $4,440 or 5.6%). Coming in 3rd place was Missouri, where median annual household incomes grew from $68,570 in 2021 to $71,520 in 2022 (an increase of 4.1% or $2,950). Minnesota had a high median yearly household income of $86,740 in 2021, however, it soared by another 4% ($3,650) to reach $90,390 in 2023. To read more about states with rapidly-rising incomes, click here!
Young professionals are looking for jobs in America that not only pay good salaries, but also provide satisfaction. According to a recent survey, these are the top five US jobs desired by Millennials and Generation Z that are satisfying and have high salaries. The #1 occupation is data scientist, which has an average salary of $123,999 per year and requires problem-solving skills involving analysis of complex data. The second most popular position for young professionals is registered nurse, which pays an average salary of $94,063 per year and involves caring for sick or injured patients. Marketing manager is the #3 US job that Millennials and Generation Z want to pursue, it has an average yearly salary of $73,491 and involves promotion of companies, brands, products and services. To read more, click here!
US News & World Report has published its ranking of the best places to live in the USA for 2023, based on 70 different indicators, such as crime, economy, education, environment, fiscal stability, healthcare, infrastructure and opportunity. Utah was listed as the #1 best state to live in America, with its economy, fiscal stability and infrastructure receiving the highest ratings. The State of Washington was ranked #2 out of the 50 states and received its best scores for its natural environment, fiscal stability and infrastructure. Idaho was ranked the 3rd top state to live in the US, with its economy, fiscal stability and low crime rate among its leading indicators. Nebraska was ranked #4, particularly for its infrastructure, education and economy. Minnesota earned high marks for its infrastructure, natural environment and opportunity, placing it in 5th place. The rest of the top 10 best places to live in America were #6 New Hampshire, #7 Iowa, #8 Wisconsin, #9 Vermont and #10 Florida. To read more, click here!
Immigration to the United States has returned to normal levels following the global pandemic, with more than one million immigrants receiving US Green Cards during Fiscal Year 2022 (FY-2022). Between October 1, 2021, and September 30, 2022, there were around 493,000 Green Cards granted to new US permanent residents arriving from outside of the United States and about 545,000 Green Cards issued through adjustment of status to temporary residents already living in the USA. By comparison, 285,000 Green Cards were given to new immigrants coming from abroad in FY-2021, 241,000 during FY-2020 and 462,000 in FY-2019 prior to the worldwide pandemic. After US President Joe Biden came to office in January 2021, he instructed agencies of the United States Government to remove barriers to legal US immigration. According to a top State Department official overseeing the granting of US visas, the goal is to make the processing of visas better than before the pandemic. To read more, click here!
Employers are hiring workers for thousands of US jobs in the technology sector every month, according to recent reports. There continues to be a strong demand for technology professionals all across America, particularly when the unemployment rate for US tech workers is an extremely low 2.1% compared with the very low 3.5% for occupations in all business sectors generally. According to the US Department of Labor, the demand for technology professionals is forecast to increase by a healthy 15% between 2021 and 2031, so if you are searching for high-tech jobs in the USA, the opportunities are abundant. Although the US job market for technology professionals is very good, some states have more high-tech job openings than others. The top 10 states with the most US jobs advertised in the technology sector in September 2022 were #1 California with 35,947 jobs posted, followed by #2 Texas (27,284), #3 New York (16,142), #4 Virginia (15,280), #5 Florida (14,015), #6 Illinois (13,714), #7 North Carolina (11,462), #8 Georgia (10,655), #9 Colorado (9,247) and #10 New Jersey (8,774). Metropolitan areas with the highest number of advertised jobs in the USA for technology professionals in September 2022 included #1 New York City with 19,993 job vacancies, followed by #2 Washington DC (16,985), #3 Dallas (12,279), #4 Chicago (10,941), #5 Los Angeles (10,848), #6 San Francisco (8,935), #7 Atlanta 8,642), #8 Boston (7,402), #9 San Jose (6,327) and #10 Seattle (6,135). Other ways to evaluate the best places to find technology jobs in the USA include which states have the highest average salaries for technology professionals, which industries have the most technology jobs advertised and which employers have the most US job openings for tech workers. To read more, click here!
The World Economic Forum reported in July 2022 that as the United States continues to transition to renewable energy for electricity, transportation and other purposes, thousands of US jobs are being created. There are 7.8 million people working in the US energy sector, including over 3 million in jobs related to renewable energy (40% of all energy workers). US employment related to hybrid electric vehicles soared by 23,577 new positions last year. During 2021, renewable technology for air conditioning, heating and ventilation produced 17,740 jobs in the USA. Solar power jobs in America increased last year by 17,212 workers. In 2021, there were 333,887 people working in US jobs related to solar electricity; 120,164 for wind power; 70,831 for coal; 69,113 for advanced natural gas; 55,562 for nuclear; 53,029 for hydroelectric; 42,083 for natural gas; 29,103 for CHP (Combined Heat & Power or cogeneration); 12,388 for bioenergy; 11,741 for oil; 11,485 for low-impact hydroelectric; 8,222 for geothermal; and 39,972 in “other” energy fields. Some of the high-demand jobs in the US renewable energy sector include data analysts, renewable energy engineers, as well as machine learning and artificial intelligence (AI) professionals. To read more, click here!
There is a strong demand for talented workers in the United States. Many employers are expanding their operations to particular states that have the workforce they need. A recent survey gathered information about the education of workers, percentage of high-tech professionals and other factors to determine which states have the best workforce. According to the survey results, Colorado has the #1 best workforce in the country, followed by Texas, Georgia, Washington, Delaware, Florida, Arizona, Utah, Oregon, and Maryland. In Colorado, 36.7% of the adults living in the state have at least a Bachelor’s Degree, which is the second largest percentage after Massachusetts. To read more, click here!
The US Department of Labor reported on July 8, 2022, that the economy produced 372,000 new jobs in America during the month of June, beating the expectations of many economists. Despite the large number of US jobs that were created, many more workers are needed to fill 11.3 million jobs in the USA that remain vacant. The 3.6% unemployment rate is the lowest in five decades and employers are having a difficult time hiring enough workers for all of the open positions. The largest number of US jobs were added in business and professional services, healthcare, warehousing and storage, hospitality and leisure. President Joe Biden commented on the US jobs report for June, saying, “Our private sector has now recovered all of the jobs lost during the pandemic and added jobs on top of that.” According to the latest data, US employment in the private sector is 140,000 jobs higher than in February 2020 when the global pandemic started. Furthermore, average hourly wages in the United States increased 5.1% compared with 12 months earlier. To read more, click here!
On July 1, 2022, 40 Permanent Resident Green Card holders from 22 countries received American citizenship at a ceremony held at the famous New York Public Library. Many of the immigrants are serving in the US military and wore their uniforms to this special naturalization ceremony which was held a few days before the Independence Day holiday. Some of the immigrants to take the Oath of Allegiance were from China, Colombia, Ghana, Japan, Mali, Philippines, Sweden and Ukraine. Regardless of their country of origin, it was obvious that all of the immigrants were happy to become American citizens. To read more, click here!
The United States is a huge country that stretches from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and has thousands of miles of coastlines. Whether you are visiting on vacation or living in the USA, there are many beautiful beaches for you to enjoy. The CN Traveler website has posted details and photos of the 24 top beaches in the USA which you may want to explore. These scenic seashores include incredible Honopu Beach on the Hawaiian island of Kauai; spectacular South Beach in Miami, Florida; Cannon Beach in Oregon; and Coronado Beach in San Diego, California. In addition to the many beaches found along the Atlantic, Pacific and Gulf coasts, the US also has nice beaches stretching along the shores of the Great Lakes, as well as other freshwater lakes that dot the country. Other top beaches in the USA include Waikiki Beach on the Hawaiian island of Oahu; Venice Beach in Los Angeles; and Coligny Beach on Hilton Head Island, North Carolina. To read more and see photos of these amazing American beaches, click here!
The daughter of immigrants from Uganda has become the first Black woman to document visiting all 195 of the world’s countries, which is detailed in her new book that was released on June 14, 2022. Jessica Nabongo is a dual American-Ugandan citizen who is a good example of the opportunities that are available to immigrants and their children living in the USA. She was born in Detroit, Michigan, to parents who immigrated to the United States from Uganda. Jessica earned her Bachelor’s Degree from St. John’s University in New York and then graduated with her Master’s Degree from the London School of Economics. Perhaps, her greatest achievenment, however, was joining approximately 400 people in the world who have traveled to every country on Earth and being the first Black woman to do so. Having an American passport helped to facilitate her travel to so many places around the globe, since it is so widely accepted. To read more, click here!
Researchers at Bankrate.com examined the housing markets in the 50 largest metropolitan areas of the United States and identified the best and worst cities for first-time homebuyers to purchase their first home. Each metro area was rated based on 11 factors, such as the affordability of housing in relation to local wages, availability of housing, strength of the job market, health and wellness, and safety. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, came in first place as the best city in the USA for first-time homebuyers, with the median price of a home in 2022 only $169,000. By comparison, the median price of a home in the United States is $320,500. Second place for housing affordability in the USA is Minneapolis (Minnesota), while third place goes to Cincinnati (Ohio), followed by #4 Kansas City (Missouri); #5 Buffalo (New York); #6 Richmond (Virginia); #7 Cleveland (Ohio); #8 St. Louis (Missouri); #9 Hartford (Connecticut); and #10 Milwaukee (Wisconsin). The most expensive metro areas for first-time homebuyers in the US are Los Angeles (California); Las Vegas (Nevada); Seattle (Washington); Riverside (California); San Jose (California); Denver (Colorado); and Houston (Texas). To read more, click here!
Niche.com has released its ranking of the best cities to live in the United States for 2022 and The Woodlands in Texas came in first place. Cities with populations of at least 100,000 all across America were rated based on such factors as employment, cost of living that is affordable, quality public schools, crime rates that are low, diversity, health and fitness, transportation, and the cost of housing. The Woodlands community near Houston was rated highly for its affordable cost of living, public schools that provide high quality education, low rate of crime, and outdoor activities. Second place went to Cambridge in Massachusetts, which was also named the top city to live in the USA for young professionals, due in part to the many jobs that are available and having housing that is affordable. The #3 best city to live in America is Naperville in Illinois, which is a prosperous suburb of Chicago that was also named the best city for raising a family and received high marks for its excellent public schools, affordable cost of living, low rate of crime and many outdoor activities. Arlington, Virginia, was ranked as the 4th top place to live in the US, based primarily on its access to public transportation, quality public schools and nightlife. Overland Park in Kansas, which was named the best city to purchase a house in the US, came in fifth place and scored highly for employment, quality public schools and outdoor activities. To read more, click here!
The Department of Labor reported on March 4, 2022, that 678,000 US jobs were created in February, which was more than economists had forecast. This was the biggest increase of jobs in America since July 2021. The Labor Department also reported that the national unemployment rate dropped to a pandemic low of only 3.8 percent. For over a year, the economy has been adding an average of more than 500,000 jobs in the USA each month, according to the president of the Economic Policy Institute. She also said that 90% of US jobs lost during the global pandemic have now been recovered. Furthermore, it has been reported that consumer spending has increased substantially, along with worker salaries and savings. Now that the recent Covid-19 wave has mostly subsided and mask mandates are being eliminated, more Americans are flying, going shopping and out to eat. In fact, the number of Americans visiting restaurants has returned to pre-pandemic numbers. Most sectors of the economy added jobs in the US during February, including 79,000 positions filled in the bar, hotel and restaurant industry; 60,000 construction jobs; as well as 48,000 US jobs in the warehousing and transportation sectors. To read more, click here!
The United States Government doubled the number of Employment-Based (EB) US Permanent Resident Green Cards that can be issued during 2022 from 140,000 to 280,000. The largest number of Employment-Based US Green Cards are available to skilled immigrants applying for the “first preference” EB-1 Visa or the “second preference” EB-2 Visa. The EB-1 US Visa and Green Card is for “priority” foreign workers who possess extraordinary abilities in the arts, athletics, business, education or sciences; top researchers and professors; and certain types of multinational executives and managers. The EB-2 US Visa and Green Card was created for skilled foreign workers who have exceptional ability or who have advanced university degrees. The EB-3 US Visa and Green Card is available to qualifying skilled foreign workers, professionals or other workers. There is an especially high demand for foreign nurses in the United States. In fact, the demand for nurses from abroad has increased 300-400% over the past couple years. President Joe Biden’s administration is attempting to facilitate the process for overseas healthcare workers to relocate to the US to help meet the growing demand. Of course, skilled foreign workers in other professions can also apply for these US Employment-Based Visas and Green Cards. Right now is a good opportunity for skilled foreign workers to apply for Employment-Based US Green Cards, particularly since there are 10.9 million jobs in America available, employers are paying higher salaries and there are double the number of Green Cards available this year. To read more, click here!
US News & World Report has published its 2022 ranking of the top US jobs for various occupational categories, which includes how much they pay. The top jobs overall for 2022 and their median annual salaries include: Information Security Analyst ($103,590); Nurse Practitioner ($111,680); Physician Assistant ($115,390); Medical and Health Services Manager ($104,280); and Software Developer ($110,140). The highest paying jobs in the USA for 2022 include: Anesthesiologist ($208,000); Surgeon ($208,000); Obstetrician & Gynecologist ($208,000); Orthodontist ($208,000); and Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon ($208,000). The top US jobs thaat don’t require a university degree include: Police Patrol Officer ($65,540); Home Health Aide ($27,080); Personal Care Aide ($27,080); Licensed Practical Nurse ($48,820); and Wind Turbine Technician ($56,230). The highest paying jobs in America that don’t require a university degree include: Police Patrol Officer ($65,540); Executive Assistant ($63,110); Sales Representative ($62,070); Flight Attendant ($59,050); and Electrician ($56,900).The top US jobs in the healthcare field include: Nurse Practitioner ($111,680); Physician Assistant ($115,390); Speech-Language Pathologist ($80,480); Physician ($208,000); and Registered Nurse ($75,330). The top US jobs in the technology sector include: Information Security Analyst ($103,590); Software Developer ($110,140); Data Scientist ($98,230); IT Manager ($151,150); and Computer Systems Analyst ($93,730). The top business jobs in the USA include: Medical and Health Services Manager ($104,280); Financial Manager ($134,180); Statistician ($92,270); Market Research Analyst ($65,810); and Operations Research Analyst ($86,200). The top US jobs in the construction industry include: Construction Manager ($97,180); Electrician ($56,900); Solar Panel Installer ($46,470); Plumber ($56,330); and Glazier ($46,080). If you are an engineer, the top jobs in America for 2022 include: Civil Engineer ($88,570); Mechanical Engineer ($90,160); Petroleum Engineer ($137,330); Architect ($82,320); and Biomedical Engineer ($92,620). These are just some of the many examples of top jobs in the USA for 2022. To view all of the top US jobs in different categories and their median salaries, click here!
On January 11, 2022, the Pew Research Center published a report with information about immigration to the United States and proposed changes the Biden Administration would like to make to US immigration programs. When Joe Biden became President of the United States, he immediately reversed the policies that his predecessor had enacted that had greately reduced US immigration levels in order to combat the pandemic. President Biden has proposed letting more people immigrate to the United States each year and granting millions of undocumented immigrants already residing in the country the opportunity to live and work in the USA legally. The Pew Research Center further reported that 709,904 foreign nationals received US Permanent Resident Green Cards through Family Sponsorship during Fiscal Year 2019; another 139,458 immigrants were granted permanent residency through US Employment-Based Green Card programs; 80,908 refugees became permanent residents; 43,463 Green Cards were issued through the Diversity Visa Lottery Program; and 58,032 Green Cards were awarded through other US immigration programs. An additional 188,123 highly-skilled foreign workers received H-1B US Work Visas in Fiscal Year 2019, which was 22% of all temporary work visas issued during that 12-month period. To read more, click here!
People working in the United States as well as US job seekers are in a strong bargaining position to ask for increased pay and better benefits due to the country’s labor shortage. According to an economics professor at the University of Minnesota, people working in America “are in the driver’s seat more than any time in recent decades” in terms of having an advantage over employers, who are desperate to hire and retain workers. During 2021, a record 6.4 million jobs in the USA were filled, which is highest number of US jobs to be created in a single year since 1939 when records started to be kept. American workers are so confident that they can find better employment that 4.5 million chose to quit their jobs in the US during November 2021 – another record broken! Profits for businesses in the United States have risen to historic heights, so employers have the money to pay higher salaries to US job seekers and to their current employees to prevent them leaving for greener pastures. Therefore, now is the opportune time to move to America and apply for one of the 11 million US jobs that are currently available. To read more, click here!
The US employment picture is evolving and many people working in America are changing jobs at a record rate in order to find better career options and higher pay. According to a new report by the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, it is estimated that 11.9 million jobs in the USA will be created by the end of this decade. Some of the business sectors that will producing the most US job openings will be in healthcare, information technology and renewable energy. Wind turbine service technician is one of the fastest-growing jobs in America, with US job vacancies forecast to increase 68.2% and paying a median salary of $56,230 USD per year. Another occupation predicted to generate many US employment opportunities is solar panel installer, with US job growth predicted at 52.1% and a median annual salary of 46,470 USD. Nurse practitioners earn a median salary of $111,680 per year and this occupation is expected to expand by 52.2 percent. US hiring for information security analysts is forecast to soar by 33.3% and these professionals can expect to earn a median yearly salary of $103,590. To read more, click here!
An analysis released in September 2021 by the National Foundation for American Policy revealed that there are 1.2 million jobs in the USA available for computer and math professionals. This is a 15% increase in advertisements for US jobs in the computer and mathematics fields compared with March 2021. US employment opportunities for Electrical Engineers rose 21% between March and September 2021, with 47,181 positions available. The number of jobs in America open to Information Security Analysts increased 19% during the past six months, reaching 76,126 US job postings. If you are a Computer and Information Systems Manager, you have 81,472 jobs in the USA to choose from (a growth of 17% over six months earlier). Climbing at a healthy 13% between March and September 2021, there are an incredible 435,639 US job vacancies advertised for Software Developers as well as Quality Assurance Testers and Analysts. Furthermore, the already-low unemployment rate for professionals working in the US computer and math fields fell further from only 3.0% in January 2020 (before the global pandemic hit) to just 1.5% in August 2021. Since there are not enough qualified people working in the US computer and math fields to fill all of these 1.2 million job openings, employers are seeking skilled foreign workers to help fill these positions. To read more, click here!
The United States has some incredible cities, however, small towns are also great places to live in the USA. Many of America’s most beautiful small towns are located next to scenic rivers and mountains and offer residents and visitors alike numerous outdoor activities to enjoy. For example, Harpers Ferry is a picturesque small town in West Virgina that is situated along the Shenandoah and Potomac Rivers, where you can go hiking, kayaking, rafting and more. Lake Placid in New York, famous for hosting the Winter Olympics in 1932 and 1980, is a popular destination for snow skiers, fishermen and hikers. Sedona is a beautiful little town in Arizona that is nestled next to towering red-colored mountains and home to many art galleries. The Colorado mountain town of Telluride also has art galleries, plus wildflowers, a film festival and snow skiing to enjoy. Carmel-by-the-Sea is found along the Central Californian coast and is known for its quaint cottages, restaurants, art galleries and spectacular seaside views. To read more, click here!
For the first time in history, there are a record 10 million jobs in the USA available for workers to choose from, according to a report released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics on August 9, 2021. Needless to say, employers are struggling to hire enough qualified people to fill so many US job vacancies. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics report, there is strong hiring across business sectors, with business and professional services, restaurants and hotels, and retail currently filling the most jobs in America. The American Chamber of Commerce Executive Vice President and Chief Policy Officer, Neil Bradley, remarked that in order to fill all of the open positions, US immigration will need to increase and other steps should also be taken. Another indicator of the strength of the economy is the rise of workers quitting their jobs in the US, suggesting their confidence in finding a new position and, perhaps, earning higher wages. In July 2021, the national unemployment rate dropped to a very healthy 5.4 percent, however, Goldman Sachs is forecasting it will fall even further to only 3.5% by the close of 2022. To read more, click here!
Employers were hiring in July, filling 943,000 jobs in America, according to a Labor Department report released on August 6, 2021. This is the most US jobs produced in a single month since the creation of over one million jobs in the USA during August 2020. Economists had been anticipating 870,000 US jobs filled in July, so this was one more indicator of a strong American labor market. The Department of Labor also revised its US employment figures upward for June 2021, revealing that an additional 938,000 people were working in the USA that month. The hiring spree in July further lowered the national unemployment rate to just 5.4 percent. Average hourly wages also increased for the fourth consecutive month, rising to $30.54 per hour. An economist from Harvard University said that he could not find a single “blemish” with the US jobs report for July. To read more, click here!
According to a report released on June 10, 2021, there are not enough skilled American workers for all of the US job vacancies in the technology sector and, therefore, employers are seeking global talent to help fill the many open positions. The New American Economy research report says that during 2020, there were over seven technology jobs in the USA available for each high-tech professional who was not working in America (i.e., 1.36 million US job openings for 177,000 unemployed tech workers to choose from). The report recommends a responsive US immigration policy that will help American businesses get the skilled workers they need to bounce back from the pandemic disruptions faster. This study was released following the announcement by the Labor Department that there are currently a record 9.3 million US job openings and the Chamber of Commerce called for raising employment-based immigration to the United States to address the shortage of workers. To read more, click here!
The US Bureau of Labor Statistics reported on June 4, 2021, that 559,000 workers found jobs in the USA during May. This followed 266,000 US jobs that were filled in April. Since President Joseph Biden became President of the United States on January 20, 2021, more than 2 million US jobs have been added to the American economy. President Biden commented that this is “more jobs than have ever been created in the first four months of any presidency in modern history, triple the rate of my predecessor, eight times the rate of President Reagan.” The massive hiring in May lowered the US unemployment rate to 5.8 percent. The President went on to say that the creation of jobs in the United States is progressing faster than in any other major economy. The success of the US vaccination program against COVID-19 has made it possible for more companies to open their doors and to hire additional workers to meet growing consumer demand. In fact, the demand for workers to fill US job vacancies is growing faster than the supply of workers, resulting in a major labor shortage. To read more, click here!
The US Department of Labor announced on May 11, 2021, that the number of jobs in the USA that are available to American workers soared to 8.12 million postings in March, which is the highest on record. According to the Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS) report, there are widespread shortages of workers who are needed to fill millions of jobs in the USA. There was a spike in advertisements for government jobs in the US as well as increased postings for employment in retail, arts, entertainment and recreation. The Labor Department recently reported that an additional 266,000 people were working in America during April, which is a big increase in US employment, but less than analysts had forecast. According to one economist, the number of available jobs in the US is much higher than the supply of workers needed to fill them. To read more, click here!
On Saturday, May 8, 2021, the US State Department announced the winners of the DV-2022 Green Card Lottery. The winners who were randomly selected in this year’s Diversity Visa Lottery now have the opportunity to apply for one of the 55,000 Diversity Immigration Visas and Permanent Resident Green Cards authorized to be issued each year. Participants in the DV-Lottery can check the status of their application (i.e., see if they were selected as a winner) on the US State Department’s E-DV website. After being selected in the Green Card Lottery, a winner will need to complete the consular process successfully in order to be issued a Diversity Immigrant Visa and Permanent Resident Green Card. To read more, click here!
Economic growth during the second quarter of 2021 is forecast to be extremely strong in the United States. According to the head of global research at Bank of America, the US economy could grow an incredible 10% between April and June 2021, while the median estimate by economists is 9.3% GDP growth. Some experts think that economists might be underestimating the potential for econominc growth. By comparison, the American economy is estimated to have grown about 5.4% during the first three months of 2021, which is a robust rate of economic growth. The Bank of America expert said that he expects the US economy will experience its best growth in June 2021. Some of the reasons economists are so optimistic about economic growth in the United States this year is the rapid rate of vaccinatons against Covid-19, which is allowing more sectors of the US economy to re-open; approximately $3.5 trillion in extra savings that American consumers have accumulated during the pandemic lockdowns when restaurants and movie theaters were closed and travel was restricted; pent-up demand by consumers to spend as the economy re-opens; plus add the government stimulus package and warmer weather and this year could see the biggest economic expension in America since 1984. Much of this spending is likely to continue into 2022, so the next two years are predicted to be very good years for the economy and jobs in the USA. To read more, click here!
On March 18, 2021, Google announced plans to create 10,000 full-time jobs in America during 2021. The CEO of Google, Sundar Pichai, declared that the technology giant wants to help with the economic recovery in the United States and this is why “we plan to invest over $7 billion in offices and data centers across the US and create at least 10,000 new full-time Google jobs in the US this year.” Atlanta, Chicago, New York City and Washington, DC, are among the cities where these new US jobs will be created. Google has been diversifying its workforce, hiring record numbers of Hispanic and Black employees during 2020. To read more, click here!
Employers in the United States are optimistic and a majority anticipate a return to hiring at pre-pandemic levels this year, according to ManpowerGroup North America’s Employment Outlook Survey. Their survey of over 7,500 employers in the 100 largest metro areas in the United States shows positive hiring intentions in all 12 sectors of the US economy. They also found that employers in the Northeast, South, Midwest and West all reported positive intentions to hire new employees in 2021, with Midwest region employers having the strongest hiring intentions. Vermont and Rhode Island are the two states with the strongest hiring outlooks. Madison (Wisconsin), Minneapolis (Minnesota), and Daytona Beach (Florida) are the three top cities with the strongest hiring outlooks this year. To read more, click here!
The new year is here and many companies are hiring for a variety of jobs in the USA. Perhaps, you have been thinking about new employment opportunities with better pay and greater satisfaction, but are not sure how or where to start. To make your US job search easier, Glassdoor has published its ranking of 50 top-paying jobs in America for 2021 that also offer the most fulfillment. Three criteria were used to rate the best jobs in America: salary, satisfaction and US job openings. Job satisfaction was measured on a scale of 0-5 with 5 representing the most job satisfaction. According to this ranking, java developer is the best job in the USA, boasting a median base salary of $90,830 per year, a satisfaction score of 4.2 and around 10,103 US job openings. Data scientist came in second place with a median base salary of $113,736 per year, satisfaction score of 4.1 and about 5,971 available jobs in the USA. Product manager was ranked #3 with a median base salary of $121,107 annually, a job satisfaction score of 3.9 and approximately 14,515 US job vacancies. Some of the other top-paying and most fulfilling jobs in America are #4 enterprise architect, #5 dev ops engineer, #6 information security engineer, #7 business development manager, #8 mobile engineer, #9 software engineer and #10 dentist. To read more about the best jobs in America, click here!
On January 20, 2021, Kamala Harris was sworn in as the first female Vice-President of the United States in a ceremony held at the US Capitol. As the daughter of immigrants, Kamala Harris is also the first Black and the first South-Asian Vice-President in American history. Her life and that of her parents is truly an incredible US immigration story. Kamala’s mother was an international student born in India who earned her PhD in Nutrition and Endocrinology at the University of California at Berkeley and conducted research that contributed to the fight against breast cancer. Her father was an international student from Jamaica who earned his PhD in Economics from UC Berkeley and became a professor at Stanford University. Kamala’s parents met while they were both graduate students at UC Berkeley, got married and Kamala was born in 1964. This would be an inspiring US immigration success story if it stopped at this point in time. However, after completing high school in 1982, Kamala graduated from Howard University in 1986 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science and Economics; then earned her Juris Doctor law degree from UC Hastings in 1989; and became a licensed lawyer in 1990. Kamala Harris went on to become the first Black woman to serve as California Attorney General and she was the second Black woman to become a US Senator. Both Vice-President Harris and President Joseph Biden are very supportive of US immigration and their new administration is expected to promote policies that favor immigration to the United States. To read more, click here!
Immigrants have made a major impact on the foods that Americans eat today. For more than two centuries, immigrants living in the United States have contributed to American society with new ideas and tasty ethnic dishes. Many immigrants have started their own successful restaurants, some of which have been very influencial on American cuisine. People who live in the USA love to eat at Italian, Chinese, Mexican and other ethnic restaurants, as well as order delivery to their homes. Today, eating pizza, tacos and noodles is as American as apple pie! This is one of the best things about US immigration, which has given Americans a diverse diet of ethnic dishes to enjoy. To read more, click here!
Employers in the United States are hiring thousands of workers for these high-demand jobs in the USA which have average salaries above $50,000 per year. According to a leading job search website with millions of US job postings, nurse is the top occupation with a high demand (215,000 positions advertised) and high average salary ($80,300 per year). The US Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) forecasts a 12% increase of nursing jobs in America during the 2018-2028 time frame. The #2 high-paying position with the most US job advertisements is truck driver, with 193,000 positions advertised and an average annual salary of $53,700. The BLS forecasts a US job growth rate of 5% for truck drivers from 2018 to 2028. There are 27,000 US job openings advertised for pharmacist, which pays an average yearly salary of $104,300 and is the #3 top job with a good salary and a 1% increase of US job openings predicted between 2018 and 2028. Fourth place in this ranking goes to accountant, with an average annual salary of $59,000 and 23,100 US job vacancies listed. Marketing specialist is the 5th most-highly advertised position, with 22,600 US job openings and an average salary of $79,400. The BLS expects marketing specialist jobs in the USA to soar by 20% from 2018 to 2028. To read the full article and learn about other top jobs in America, click here!
During the November 2020 US presidential election, a record 10% of eligible voters will be foreign-born naturalized American citizens, according to a report by the Pew Research Center. This is the highest percentage of immigrants eligible to vote in an election in the United States in over 100 years. It is also a big increase from the 2000 election, when 6% of eligible voters were immigrants living in the USA. In fact, the share of foreign-born eligible voters living in America has been soaring uninterrupted for the past 20 years, according to the Pew Research Center data. There are two major reasons for the growing percentage of immigrants living in the US who are eligible to vote. First, immigrants make up a larger share of the people living in the USA during 2020 (over 14%) than back in 1970 when only 5% of the US population was foreign-born. Second, a higher number of immigrants living in the United States are completing the naturalization process to become an American citizen. An immigrant can apply to become an American citizen after living in the USA with a Permanent Resident Green Card five years and satisfying other basic requirements. One of the benefits of being granted American citizenship is the right to vote in elections held in the United States. To read the full article, click here!
Sustained economic growth throughout 2019 generated 2.1 million new jobs in America, according to a US Department of Labor report released on January 10, 2020. This averages out to 175,000 US jobs being filled every month. The Labor Department also reported that employers in the United States hired an additional 145,000 workers in December, which allowed the US to end the year with an especially low unemployment rate of only 3.5 percent. American workers were earning an average of 2.9 percent more in December 2019 compared with 12 months earlier. Receiving extra pay, combined with low inflation, gave consumers more money to spend on goods and services, which has contributed to the ongoing economic expansion in the United States. The minimum wage will increase significantly in several US states in January 2020 or later in the year, which should further boost consumer spending and economic growth. According to a chief economist, the US began 2020 “in very good shape” and he predicted “continued economic expansion throughout 2020 driven by consumers.” To read more, click here!
America started the New Year with over 7 million US job openings, the lowest unemployment rate since 1969, and a booming economy that has been growing uninterrupted for more than a decade. In other words, this is the perfect time to immigrate to the United States and/or search for jobs in the USA. On January 7, 2020, US News & World Report published its annual ranking of the best jobs in the United States, which could be a useful tool for immigrants seeking US employment. You can explore different categories of jobs in the USA for information about the job requirements, median salaries, and other relevant details. For example, there are rankings of the top 100 jobs in America overall, careers with the highest salaries, top occupations that don’t require a university degree, and rankings of the best US jobs in business, construction, education, engineering, healthcare, maintenance & repair, media, sales & marketing, science, social services, STEM, technology and other sectors of the economy. A scorecard also rates each occupation on its salary, job market, future growth, stress, and work-life balance. According to the report, the #1 job in America overall is Software Developer (median salary = $103,620); the top occupation in the construction industry is a Construction Manager (median salary = $93,370); and the best career in sales & marketing is a Marketing Manager (median salary = $134,290). To read more details about top jobs in America, click here!
The United States has been experiencing record-breaking economic growth for 126 months in a row, as of December 2019. Never before in history has the American economy grown non-stop for a full decade, avoiding a recession the entire time and producing millions of new US jobs in the process. According to the director of research at the Economic Policy Institute, it is possible to keep economic expansions going for a long time with very smart policies that are thought out carefully. To read the full article, click here!
American employers are still hiring, as demonstrated in November 2019 when 266,000 US jobs were filled. This was the largest surge in US employment since January 2019, when 312,000 workers were hired, and beat the expectations of economists who forecast 187,000 new jobs in the USA. The healthy hiring in November caused the US unemployment rate to drop to 3.5 percent, which is the lowest level in 50 years. Over the past three months, an average of 205,000 jobs in the USA have been produced each month, according to data released by the US Department of Labor. There was substantial US job growth during November in several sectors of the American economy. For example, 54,000 US jobs were added in manufacturing; 45,000 in healthcare; 45.000 in leisure & hospitality; and 31,000 in professional & business services. American workers were making more money in November 2019 compared with November 2018, with the average hourly wage growing 3.1% during the 12-month period. Consumer confidence and business optimism remain high in the United States, spending continues at a robust rate, and the stock market has been climbing to new heights. To read more, click here!
Middle class Americans are thriving living in US states like Utah, Idaho and Iowa, according to a report released by the SmartAsset personal finance website on November 18, 2019. In order to determine where middle class Americans are in the strongest position living in the USA, all 50 states were evaluated based on the percentage of households in the middle class; median household income adjusted for the cost of living; middle class job growth; changes in median household income over five years; median home value; rate of home ownership; and other factors. American households earning between $35,000 and $100,000 per year were considered “middle class” in this study. Eight of the top 10 states for the middle class to live in America were in the western United States. According to this assessment, the #1 state for the middle class to live in the USA is Utah, where 47.3 percent of the residents are middle class; the median household income adjusted for the cost of living is $73,342 per year; the home ownership rate is 70.5 percent; and the median value of homes is $303,300. The other top 10 states for the middle class to live in America are #2 Idaho, #3 Iowa, #4 Nebraska, #5 Indiana, #6 South Dakota, #7 Vermont, #8 Montana, #9 Wisconsin and #10 Minnesota. To read the full article, click here!
The number of immigrants to become an American citizen climbed to 833,000 during Fiscal Year (FY) 2019, which ended on September 30, 2019. This is the largest number of immigrants to be granted US citizenship in 11 years. At an American citizenship ceremony held in November 2019 at the Smithsonian National Museum in Washington, 60 immigrants from 51 countries took the Oath of Allegiance to become an American citizen. One of the newly naturalized US citizens who is originally from Ghana exclaimed, “It means a lot, joining one of the world’s greatest country of all times and able to serve this country.” Among the many privileges that naturalized US citizens receive is the right to vote in elections. Two immigrants who were granted American citizenship at the Smithsonian ceremony, one from Pakistan and the other from the UK, said they look forward to being able to vote in the next US election. To read more, click here!
In November 2019, the New American Economy bipartisan research organization released its annual ranking of the best cities for immigrants to live in the USA and 1st place went to Chicago, Illinois. The 100 cities with the largest populations in the United States were evaluated according to 51 factors, which included: government leadership, economic empowerment, inclusiveness, community, legal support, job opportunities, economic prosperity, livability, and civic participation. This analysis found Chicago to be the most welcoming city for immigrants to live in America, followed by #2 Chula Vista (California), #3 Jersey City (New Jersey), #4 San Francisco (California), #5 Baltimore (Maryland), and #6 New York City (New York), Tied for 7th place were Anaheim (California), Newark (New Jersey) and San Jose (California), while Los Angeles (California) and Portland (Oregon) tied for 8th place. Completing the top 10 best cities for immigrants to live in the USA were #9 Philadelphia (Pennsylvania) and #10 Washington, DC. To read more, click here!
There has been a steady increase over the past several years of immigrant women who are Muslims being elected to public office in the United States. For example, in an election held in early November 2019, an immigrant from India living in the USA became the first Muslim woman elected to the Virginia State Senate and also the first Muslim woman to serve in Virginia’s General Assembly (i.e., state legislature). Over 300 Muslim candidates, including 100 women, have run for public office in elections held across America since 2006, and many have been elected. For example, two Muslim women from Michigan and Minnesota (one an immigrant and the other born in the USA) became the first Muslim women elected to the US House of Representatives in the mid-term election held in November 2018. It should be noted that US Permanent Resident Green Card holders who live in the USA five years and satisfy other criteria can apply to become an American citizen and one of the rights that naturalized US citizens enjoy is the opportunity to run for public office in national, state and local elections. To read more, click here!
Immigrants who move to America contribute to their new country in a variety of ways. For example, many immigrants bring new ideas and different ways of thinking that foster innovation and lead to new discoveries, inventions, businesses, etc. This can be seen by the large percentage of Nobel Prizes awarded to immigrants living in America. Between 2000 and 2019, immigrants accounted for 38% of Nobel Prizes awarded to people living in the USA in the fields of chemistry, medicine and physics. This is not a recent phenomena, as immigrants have made up 35% of American Nobel Prize winners for chemistry, medicine and physics during the 1901-2019 time period. Some of the foreign-born Americans who were awarded the 2019 Nobel Prize came from Canada (Nobel for Physics), France and India (Nobel for Economics), and the United Kingdom (Nobel for Chemistry). In addition to the many immigrants who have been awarded the Nobel Prize after moving to the USA, several notable Nobel laureates immigrated to the United States after receiving this international honor (a few famous examples include Albert Einstein, Niels Bohr and Enrico Fermi). To read the full article, click here!
In September 2019, America’s booming economy created 136,000 new jobs in the USA, continuing a record 108 consecutive months of positive US job growth. The unemployment rate in the United States also dropped even further to just 3.5 percent, which is the lowest it has been in 50 years – since 1969! The business sectors that added the most net jobs in the USA during September included education and health services (+40,000), professional and business services (+34,000), government (+22,000), leisure and hospitality (+21,000), transportation and warehousing (+15,700), information (+9,000), and construction (+7,000). People working in the USA also saw their paychecks increase by an average of 2.9 percent between September 2018 and September 2019. After the US jobs report was released on October 4, 2019, the Chairman of the Federal Reserve said that the American economy is in “a good place” and the role of the US central bank is to keep it that way. To read more, click here!
More job-seekers are receiving multiple offers of US employment due to the ongoing worker shortage in the United States. Data provided by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York shows that a record-level of US job seekers are receiving at least three offers of employment and that Americans remain optimistic about finding work in the USA. Furthermore, with employment in the United States at the highest level in four decades, companies are having to pay higher wages to attract workers to fill US job openings. In July 2017, the lowest average annual salary required to entice an American worker to leave his/her current job to work for a new employer was $57,964, but that grew to $60,196 in July 2018 and rose even higher to $62,194 by July 2019. Expectations to earn more money has also increased the number of people who are not currently working in America to seek employment. To read the full article, click here!
Forty-two Green Card holders from 15 countries took the oath to become an American citizen at a special ceremony held at Yosemite National Park on September 19, 2019. The US citizenship ceremony was full of American icons, including US flags, park rangers on horseback, apple pie and the spectacular scenery of Half Dome in the background. Since 2006, several American citizenship ceremonies have taken place at US national parks, such as Yosemite in northern California and the Grand Canyon in Arizona. To read more, click here!
The ongoing shortage of qualified workers needed to fill US job openings has contributed to many employers in the United States paying their interns high salaries. The competition for talent among American companies is so great (especially in the technology sector) that in some cases, interns earn significantly more money than the average worker salary in the USA. For example, a recent report revealed that the median salary paid to interns at Facebook is $8,000 per month ($96,000 a year), which is almost double the median salary of $4,400 per month ($52,807 annually) paid to a typical American worker. Interns who get hired as full-time regular employees at Facebook can usually look forward to earning very high salaries. For example, the median salary earned by Facebook employees in 2018 was $19,054 per month ($228,651 annually). Other examples of the high median monthly salaries paid to interns at companies in the United States include: Amazon ($7,725), Salesforce ($7,667), Google ($7,500), Microsoft ($7,250), Uber ($7,167), Bloomberg ($7,000), Capital One ($7,000), Apple ($6,667), and Bank of America ($5,883). As these examples from the report show, interns at many non-tech companies in the USA also get paid very well. To read more, click here!
On September 15, 2019, fifteen immigrants from eleven countries took the oath to become an American citizen during a ceremony held at the Philadelphia Phillies baseball stadium prior to the start of their game against the Boston Red Sox. American citizenship ceremonies usually take place in courthouses, but many federal courts have decided to hold this special event in unique venues, like baseball stadiums. This has been done partly to make the US citizenship ceremony extra special for the immigrants and their families who are surrounded by thousands of cheering baseball fans, but also to raise public awareness about the privilege that Green Card holders have to become an American citizen. In fact, these 11 newly naturalized citizens of the United States joined around 700 other immigrants who took the oath to become a US citizen at professional baseball stadiums this summer. To read more, click here!
A report by the Pew Research Center says that 71% of the people living in the USA are either middle class (52 percent) or upper class (19 percent). In 2016, the average middle class household living in America earned $78,442 per year, while the average salary for an upper-class household was $187,872 annually. The remaining 29% of the US population is in the lower class socioeconomic category and receives an average yearly income of $25,624. According to the Pew Research Center report, an individual would need to earn at least $78,281 per year to be considered upper class in the United States, while a two-person household would need $110,706, a three-person family would require $135,586, a family of four would need $156,561, and a five-person household would have to make a minimum yearly salary of $175,041 to be considered upper class. Although 19% of the US population is in the upper class, there are some metropolitan areas where a higher percentage of residents are in this top income category. For example, around 32% of the households in the San Jose-Santa Clara-Sunnyvale metro area of California’s “Silicon Valley” earn salaries that place them in the upper class. It is important to note that people who live in America have the opportunity to move up the socioeconomic ladder (for example, from the lower class to the middle class or from the middle class to the upper class). This report also shows that most of the people living in the USA have incomes that allow them to enjoy a high standard of living. To read the full article, click here!
People who live in US cities like New York, Chicago and Los Angeles might earn higher salaries than those residing in smaller cities and towns, but they may also have a much higher cost of living. A recent study has discovered the best places to live in America for individuals who want to see their salaries stretch further. An economist gathered information about the average salaries for various jobs in 185 metro areas across the United States. He then analyzed data related to the cost of living in those locations to determine which cities have the highest salaries and the lowest cost of living in America. According to this analysis, the best city to live in the USA if you want to save money is Birmingham, Alabama, where the average salary is $68,400 per year, but it is more like earning $77,000 when the low cost of living is taken into account. Second place in the ranking went to Memphis, Tennessee, where the average salary is $70,000 annually, but when adjusted for the low cost of living, is like receiving $76,800. The third top city where you get more for your money is Cincinnati, Ohio, followed by #4 Louisville, Kentucky, and 5th place Indianapolis, Indiana. To read more, click here!
A college in southern California is offering free classes to help immigrants prepare to take the American citizenship exam. Immigrants who live in the USA with a Permanent Resident Green Card for five years have the opportunity to apply to become naturalized American citizens. Part of the naturalization process includes passing the civics, reading, writing and speaking sections of the US citizenship exam. Orange Coast College in Costa Mesa helps immigrants get ready for the civics exam, as well as improve their English language skills. One of the immigrants taking classes at the Orange County college received her Green Card three and a half years ago after relocating to the US from Egypt. She says that she likes America, freedom, and how Americans think and want everyone to be happy. She can’t wait to become an American citizen. Another immigrant decided to move to America from Turkey so his children could receive a good education. Although he has only been living in the USA for a year, he is taking the US citizenship classes to learn more about American culture and history. To read the full article, click here!
The Conference Board reported in August 2019 that people living in America are confident about the US economy and believe that the good economic times are likely to continue. In fact, a senior director at The Conference Board said that consumer confidence is now at the highest level in almost 19 years. Consumer spending accounts for two-thirds of US Gross Domestic Product (GDP), so strong consumer confidence and spending can help to keep America’s booming economy growing. One reason that consumers are spending money and boosting economic growth is because of the healthy US job market. To read more, click here!
The nation’s capital has become an attractive place for immigrants to live in the USA, partly because there are large immigrant communities and many job opportunities in Washington, DC. As of 2017, approximately 14% of the 633,450 people living in Washington, DC, were foreign-born. Many of the immigrants living in the DC metro area are from Central America, including around 200,000 from El Salvador, 40,000 from Guatemala and 38,000 from Honduras. According to US immigration experts, many immigrants move to US cities with large immigrant communities because they feel more comfortable living among people who are similar to themselves. Immigrants also want to find work in US cities that have booming economies and plenty of jobs to choose from. Thus, the foreign-born population of Washington, DC, has grown substantially over the past few decades, since it has what immigrants are looking for. To read more, click here!
On August 21, 2019, the Pew Research Center released a report that says the face of people living in America is changing rapidly. According to the report, the non-white population of the United States is growing quickly, while the white population of the USA is declining. In particular, the number of Asians, Hispanics and Blacks living in America has increased significantly over the past two decades. An analysis of US Census data reveals that 293 of the 3,142 counties in the United States (about 9 percent) had majority non-white populations in 2018. Furthermore, US Census data also shows that 109 counties located in 22 states went from having white majorities to non-white majorities between 2000 and 2018. Counties with non-white majorities are concentrated in California, as well as on the East Coast and in The South, while some counties in the middle part of the US also have non-white majorities. To read more, click here!
Immigrants living in the USA enjoy many benefits, including the right to free public education (i.e., primary and secondary school) for their children. The educational opportunities available to American citizens and US permanent residents are among the best found anywhere in the world, which is why more than one-million international students are currently attending various academic institutions in the United States. Public high schools in the USA are funded by local tax revenues and often supplemented by federal funding. In general, American public schools offer a high quality education to students who live in the local area. Nonetheless, some public high schools in the US provide students with a much higher quality of education and enrichment activities than the “average” secondary school. The Niche education evaluation website examined thousands of public high schools in more than 10,000 school districts across the United States for its ranking of the best public high schools for 2019-2020. Each public high school was rated based on factors such as student test scores, economic and racial diversity, student-teacher ratios, advanced placement (AP) enrollment, and reviews from parents, students and alumni. First place went to Thomas Jefferson High School for Science & Technology, which is located in Alexandria, Virginia. Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy (Aurora, Illinois) was rated #2 in the nation. To read more, click here!
America’s overall prosperity increased during the past decade, according to the United States Prosperity Index report released by the Legatum Institute on July 18, 2019. The London-based Legatum Institute evaluated the prosperity of the 50 states based on 11 factors, such as economic quality, education, health and natural environment, and personal freedom. The study found that the economic, social and institutional prosperity of the USA improved as a whole over the last 10 years, with the Northeast, West and Midwest regions enjoying the greatest prosperity. Massachusetts is the most prosperous place to live in America, followed by Connecticut, Minnesota, New Hampshire, Washington, Vermont, Utah, Colorado, Maryland, and New Jersey. According to the director of policy at the Legatum Institute, “There is much to be positive about when considering the prosperity of the United States. It has a strong economy with well-developed infrastructure, competitive markets and plentiful access to finance.” To read more, click here!
The San Francisco Bay area of northern California has been named the best place in the world for female entrepreneurs in the 2019 Women Entrepreneur Cities (WE Cities) Index. Fifty cities around the globe were evaluated based on how well they can “attract and support high potential women entrepreneurs” as measured by capital, culture, markets, talent, and technology. The United States had the most cities in the index of 50 cities as well as in the top 10. The San Francisco Bay area was ranked the world’s #1 location for women to start a business in 2019, bumping New York City (previously in the top spot) to the #2 position this year, followed by #3 London (UK), #4 Boston, MA (USA), #5 Los Angeles, CA (USA), #6 Washington, DC (USA), #7 Seattle, WA (USA), #8 Paris (France), #9 Toronto (Canada), and #10 Stockholm (Sweden). Other US cities that were among the 50 best cities for female entrepreneurs included: #14 Austin (Texas), #15 Chicago (Illinois), #17 Portland (Oregon), #20 Atlanta (Georgia), #22 Houston (Texas), #25 Minneapolis (Minnesota), #31 Miami (Florida), and #33 Pittsburgh (Pennsylvania). To read more, click here!
This is one of the best times to be working in America. After all, the US economy has been enjoying strong economic growth for many years and American workers have seen their wages increase an average of 3.1 percent during the past 12 months. Furthermore, the New York Federal Reserve reports that people working in the USA are highly confident in their ability to find employment. Of course, this makes a lot of sense, considering the unemployment rate is only 3.7 percent (the lowest level in 50 years) and there are more US job openings than workers available to fill them. Between May 2018 and May 2019, there was a 1.6 percent growth rate for jobs in the USA. Several states, however, experienced US job creation at a higher level than the national average during that 12-month time-frame. Nevada led the rest of the country with 4 percent job growth overall, but construction jobs in the US state rose 17 percent and employment in manufacturing grew 8 percent from May 2018 to May 2019. Jobs in the US state of Utah jumped 2.82 percent year-over-year, while employment in Washington state rose 2.79 percent during the same period of time. Other top states producing US jobs at a rapid rate include: Arizona, Idaho, Florida, Texas, Florida, South Dakota, and South Carolina. To read the full article, click here!
On July 4, 2019, Americans will celebrate Independence Day with parades, bar-b-ques and fireworks, so here are some “fun facts” about this special national holiday that you may find interesting. This Fourth of July will celebrate 243 years since the American colonists declared their independence from Great Britain, but the Declaration of Independence was actually approved by the Second Continental Congress in Philadelphia on July 2, 1776, printed for the first time on July 4, 1776, and signed by the colonial delegates on August 2, 1776. Thus, Americans celebrate Independence Day on the Fourth of July (and not on July 2nd or August 2nd) because July 4, 1776, is the date that appears at the top on this famous document. Furthermore, the iconic painting by John Trumbull of the Founding Fathers “signing” the Declaration of Independence (which appears on the US $2 bill) is of a scene that really took place on June 28, 1776. The first Independence Day celebrations occurred in the United States on July 4, 1777, and included fireworks in Philadelphia and Boston, but the 13 colonies would not officially gain their independence from Great Britain until the signing of the Peace of Paris in 1783. The US Congress did not vote to officially make the 4th of July a federal holiday until 1870. To read more, click here!
The United States is a land of opportunity where thousands of immigrants have started successful businesses. One immigrant entrepreneur from Europe recently shared his insights about launching a startup business in America. He noted that immigrants face various challenges when starting a business in the USA, but also commented that the rewards are “fantastic.” In his view, there are more financial opportunities and greater creative freedom for entrepreneurs in the United States than in Europe. Although immigrant entrepreneurs may initially encounter cultural differences and language barriers, he stated that “the payoff is well worth the effort.” When opening a new business in the USA, he said it is important to consider the costs prior to launching the startup, choose a good location, and have a team that is culturally diverse and can stimulate innovation. To read the full article, click here!
In June 2019, a report declared Utah as the top state with the largest percentage of adults (51 percent) volunteering their time to help other people during a 12-month period. There were also high rates of volunteerism by adults living in the US states of Minnesota (45.1 percent), Oregon (43.2 percent), Iowa (41.5 percent), Alaska (40.6 percent), Nebraska (40.2 percent) and many other states. Overall, the percentage of Americans who volunteer their time in order to give back to the community has been growing substantially. The “Baby Boomer” generation (people born during 1946-1965) volunteered the most amount of time in the United States (2.2 billion hours in 2017), but individuals belonging to “Generation X” (people born during 1966 to 1980) had the highest percentage rate (36.4 percent) of volunteers in America. In general, 30.3 percent of US adults volunteered one of more times in 2017, which was a higher percentage than in 2016. Among the top volunteer activities for adults living in the US were fundraising, feeding others, providing clothing, mentoring, teaching, transportation, labor, and coaching. To read more, click here!
There is widespread economic growth and prosperity across the United States; however, the following US cities are experiencing especially strong growth in both Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and personal income. A recent study examined 347 cities throughout the USA with populations of 500,000 or less, looking for places where the economy, wages, and population all grew rapidly between 2012 and 2017. The analysis listed Naples, Florida, as the top US “boomtown” due to the city’s impressive 34% GDP growth rate, population increase of 6.8% and rise in personal income of 22.8% during the 2012-2017 time period. Coming in second place was Santa Fe, New Mexico, which boasted 9.5% GDP growth, expanded its population by 21.5% and saw personal incomes go up by 17.2 percent. The #3 city listed was Sebastian, Florida, where the local economy grew by an amazing 23.5 percent, personal income soared by 20.9 percent and the population increased 9.3 percent during the five-year time frame. Some of the other leading cities included: Boulder, Colorado; Santa Rosa, California; and Reno, Nevada. To read the full article, click here!
America’s booming economy started the New Year on a positive note by creating an additional 304,000 jobs in the USA during January 2019, according to data reported by the US Department of Labor on February 1, 2019. The United States also reached a major milestone in January 2019, marking the 100th month in a row that new US jobs had been added to the expanding economy. An average of 223,000 US jobs were added to the American economy each month during 2018, according to Labor Department data. Strong US job creation over the past 100 consecutive months has resulted in a situation in which there are substantially more open jobs in America than there are workers available to fill them all. With a very low 4% unemployment rate in January 2019, the ongoing worker shortage in the United States has helped to raise the average hourly wage to $27.56 per hour for private sector jobs in the USA, which is 3.2% higher pay than the average private sector wage in January 2018. To read more, click here!
Whether you are currently working in America or you are looking for future employment opportunities in the United States, the US News & World Report ranking of the best US jobs overall for 2019 could be a useful resource for enhancing your career options. In order to determine the best US jobs overall for 2019, occupations were rated on seven key factors: median salary, employment rate, 10-year job growth, 10-year job growth percentage, future job prospects, stress level for the occupation, and the work-life balance. When assessed overall according to these seven measures, software developer was ranked as the #1 job in the United States, boasting a median salary of $101,790 per year and 255,400 US job openings forecast between 2016 and 2026 (30.7% job growth). The rest of the top 10 best jobs in the USA for this year and their median annual salaries are: #2 statistician ($84,060), #3 physician assistant ($104,860), #4 dentist ($151,440), #5 nurse anesthetist ($165,120), #6 orthodontist ($208,000), #7 nurse practitioner ($103,880), #8 pediatrician ($172,650), #9 obstetrician and gynecologist ($208,000), and oral and maxillofacial surgeon ($208,000). To read details about the 100 best jobs in America for 2019, click here!
US News & World Report has published its ranking of the top-paying jobs in the USA for 2019 which could be helpful for people seeking US employment opportunities in the New Year. The report was released in January 2019 and contains information about dozens of US jobs, including details about each occupation, the median salary, projected jobs in the USA, unemployment rate for people working in each occupation, and the number of jobs in the United States. There is also a scorecard for each occupation which has an overall score as well as scores for salary, US job market, future growth, stress, and work-life balance. According to this evaluation, the top 20 highest paying jobs in America for 2019 (with their median salaries) are: #1 anesthesiologist ($208,000); #2 surgeon ($208,000); #3 oral and maxillofacial surgeon ($208,000); #4 obstetrician and gynecologist ($208,000); #5 orthodontist ($208,000); #6 psychiatrist ($208,000); #7 physician ($192,930); #8 prosthodontist ($185,150); #9 pediatrician ($172,650); #10 dentist ($151,440); #11 nurse anesthetist ($165,120); #12 petroleum engineer ($132,280); #13 IT manager ($139,220); #14 podiatrist ($127,740); #15 marketing manager ($132,230); #16 financial manager ($125,080); #17 lawyer ($119,250); #18 sales manager ($121,060); #19 financial advisor ($90,640); and #20 business operations manager ($100,410). To see more top paying jobs in the USA and read further details, click here!
On January 4, 2019, the US Department of Labor reported that the American economy continued to enjoy strong growth during 2018, creating a total of 2.6 million new jobs in the USA. In fact, an impressive 312,000 US jobs were added to the economy during December 2018, with the most jobs being produced in the manufacturing, construction, healthcare and retail sectors. People working in America also saw their wages rise by an average of 3.2 percent between December 2017 and December 2018, according to Labor Department data. When 2018 started, the US unemployment rate was a low 4.1 percent, but it dropped even further to only 3.7% in September 2018 (the lowest since 1969), finally ending the year at just 3.9 percent. To read the full article, click here!
Northeastern University researchers have developed a colorful way to describe the changing patterns of US immigration during the past 226 years using a “tree trunk” model. Just as the rings of a tree trunk provide scientists with information about changing conditions experienced by a tree over its lifetime, this “tree ring” model uses different colored rings to visualize how US immigration has evolved during the last couple of centuries. The colors, widths and skews of the rings work together to display the flow of immigration to the United States from other parts of the world, as well as where various immigrants settled after moving to America. By reading the rings of the US immigration tree trunk, a person can see in the oldest center tree rings that most people immigrating to the United States in the 1700s and 1800s came from Europe, while the more recent outer rings show an increase of immigrants arriving from Latin America and Asia during the late-1900s and early 21st century. To read more and watch the video, click here!
Many people want to live in US cities that are large enough to have good job opportunities and offer a variety of activities to enjoy, yet, are also affordable places to live. According to a recent ranking of big US cities with populations over 300,000, the best large city for quality living in America is Austin, Texas. Austin has a very low unemployment rate of about 3 percent, thriving high-tech and startup scene, and with 10.9% job growth projected for the 2017-2022 time period, career opportunities are abundant. Families can enjoy a high standard of living in Austin, where the median home price is only $326,562 and family incomes average $87,389 per year. Austin is also known for its live music and many excellent restaurants. Other big cities with the best standard of living in the USA include: #2 Raleigh, North Carolina; #3 Virginia Beach, Virginia; #4 Mesa, Arizona; #5 Seattle, Washington; #6 San Diego, California; #7 Colorado Springs, Colorado; #8 Lexington, Kentucky; #9 Jacksonville, Florida; and #10 Columbus, Ohio. To read more details, click here!
America is a land of immigrants where many different languages are spoken. There is no “official” national language in the United States, however, English is the #1 most widely spoken language for people living in the US, followed by #2 Spanish, #3 Chinese, #4 Tagalog, #5 Vietnamese, #6 Arabic, #7 French, #8 Russian, #9 German, and #10 Haitian. It may not come as a surprise that Spanish is the most commonly-spoken non-English language in the United States (spoken by more than 40 million people living in the USA). What many people do find surprising, however, is which non-English languages are growing the fastest in the United States. An analysis of US Census Data from 2010 and 2017 that was recently published by the Center for Immigration Studies reports that nine of the top ten fastest-growing non-English languages spoken in the United States are from Asia (70% originating from South Asia). After comparing the US Census Data from 2010 and 2017, the think-tank discovered that Telugu (from India) is the #1 fastest-growing non-English language spoken in the United States, followed by: #2 Bengali, #3 Tamil, #4 Arabic, #5 Hindi, #6 Urdu, #7 Punjabi, #8 Chinese, #9 Gujarati and #10 Haitian. To read more, click here!
The latest Forbes 400 list of the wealthiest people living in America includes 43 immigrants from countries around the world. These 43 foreign-born billionaires relocated to the United States from 20 countries on six continents, including: Argentina, Australia, Canada, China, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, India, Israel, Italy, Pakistan, Romania, Russia, South Africa, South Korea, Taiwan, Turkey, Ukraine, and the United Kingdom. The combined wealth of the 43 richest immigrants living in the US is a staggering $289 billion USD. The wealthiest immigrant on the Forbes 400 list (and ninth richest person living in America) was a six-year-old boy when he and his family fled Russia as refugees and were granted legal residency in the United States (also becoming naturalized American citizens). This young immigrant excelled in the American education system, earning a Bachelors’s Degree with honors from the University of Maryland at just 19 years of age, before going on to earn his Master’s Degree from Stanford University in California. Ultimately, this US immigration success story became the co-founder of one of the largest technology companies in the world, earning an estimated net worth of $52.4 billion USD. To read more, click here!
The Brookings Institution in the United States published a report in October 2018 which reveals one dozen facts regarding US immigration. The research report by this highly-regarded think-tank discusses the positive impact made by “waves” of immigration to the United States over the years. According to the report, the percentage of foreign-born people living in the USA (14 percent of the population) has increased to levels not seen since the late 1800s, reflecting rising immigration to the United States. There has also been a major shift in where immigrants are arriving from. For example, over 80% of immigrants moving to America in 1910 came from Europe, but today approximately 80% of the people immigrating to United States arrive from countries in Asia and Latin America. Furthermore, the research found that immigrants living in America help the economy to grow at a faster and stronger rate. Additionally, the report says that immigration to the United States boosts the economy, partially because skilled foreign workers who live and work in the USA bring new ideas which contribute to innovation. To read the full report, click here!
Immigrants living in the United States are contributing to a resurgence of farmers markets in cities and towns all across America. Farmers markets have a long history in the US dating back to the earliest days of the country, when shoppers would gather in the downtown district of a city or town to purchase produce or other items from local farmers and merchants. This tradition has continued to the present, with many communities throughout the United States closing off sections of a street in the center of the city on a certain day of the week so farmers can set up booths to sell their fresh produce to consumers, who wander from booth to booth looking for good deals on fresh fruit and vegetables. As supermarkets became more prominent and convenient, there was a decline in the number of farmers markets. During the past four decades, however, many people living in the USA have “rediscovered” the benefits of going to their local farmers market. For example, the US Department of Agriculture reports that the number of farmers markets nationwide increased from around 1,755 back in 1999 to more than 8,600 in 2018. The significant growth of farmers markets across the country has been attributed in large part to immigrants living in America, many of whom visit the farmers markets to find fresh ingredients for ethnic dishes they want to prepare. This can be seen at the busy farmers market in St. Paul, Minnesota. To read more and watch the video, click here!
A national survey of 1,754 adults living in the USA conducted by the Pew Research Center September 18-24, 2018, has found that most Americans think that openness to foreigners is “essential” to the character of the United States as a country. The survey results, which were published on October 9, 2018, reveal that 68% of adults living in America consider openness to foreigners essential for the USA, including 93% of liberals, 78% of conservative and moderate Democrats, 80% of young adults under 30 years of age, and 63% of older adults age 50 or above. To read more, click here!
On October 5, 2018, the Department of Labor reported that the unemployment rate in the United States had dropped to a very low 3.7% in September 2018, and that 134,000 new US jobs were added to the growing economy. The percentage of people working in America has not been this low since 1969 when the United States was still sending astronauts to the Moon! It has now been a full eight years (96 months in a row) that new US jobs have been added each month to the economy. The latest government data also indicates that an average of 211,400 US jobs have been generated every month so far in 2018. The non-stop creation of new jobs in America during the eight-year economic expansion (2010-2018) has resulted in a growing labor shortage. In fact, the Labor Department reported in September 2018 that a record 6.94 million jobs in the USA remain vacant, because there are not enough qualified people available to work in the United States. To read the full article, click here!
Data provided by the US Census Bureau and the Brookings Institution think-tank reveals that the percentage of immigrants living in the United States has climbed to its highest level in 108 years. As of 2017, there were 44.5 million foreign-born individuals living in the USA or 13.7% of the overall population of 326 million. This is the largest percentage of immigrants living in America since 1910. The data also indicates that the highest percentage of immigrants moving to the USA since 2010 originated in Asian countries (41 percent), followed by newcomers arriving from Latin America (39 percent). Overall, however, immigrants from Latin America make up 50% of all foreign-born people living in the USA, while 31% of immigrants residing in the United States came from countries in Asia. Furthermore, immigrants relocating to the United States are not only moving to the US states with the biggest immigrant populations (such as California and New York), but recent newcomers are increasingly spreading out across the country to states like Kentucky, Tennessee, Ohio, and South Carolina. To read the full article, click here!
The Pew Research Center published a report on September 14, 2018, that says the education level for immigrants living in America has been increasing over the past several years. The report also states that immigrants living in the United States are as likely as individuals born in the USA to have an undergraduate or post-graduate university degree. Immigrants relocating to the US from East Asia and South Asia have the highest education levels of any immigrant group living in America, with 51.2% of those 25 years of age or older holding an undergraduate or post-graduate degree. To read the full report, click here!
In September 2018, the US Department of Labor released its monthly Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS) report which revealed a record 6.94 million jobs in the USA remain unfilled due to a shortage of workers. This high number of US job vacancies is despite the 201,000 new jobs in America that were filled in August 2018. A survey by the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) also reflected the growing labor shortage, stating that US job openings for small businesses soared to a 45-year high in August 2018. The expanding economy has been producing new jobs in America for 95 consecutive months, with an average of 207,000 new US jobs filled per month during 2018. This remarkable rise in US job vacancies is not surprising, particularly in lieu of the 4.2% annualized growth in Gross Domestic Product (GDP) that occurred between April and June 2018. America’s economy is “red hot” and generating new jobs faster than employers can fill them, which is helping to boost the wages of people working in the USA. For example, wages for jobs in America increased 2.9% over the 12-month period between August 2017 and August 2018, which was the largest 12-month gain in US wages since June 2009. To read more, click here!
Many people move to America in pursuit of happiness and a better life. One study has found that people living in the US states of Hawaii, Utah, Minnesota, North Dakota and California tend to have the highest levels of happiness in the United States. Researchers examined 31 measures of happiness which were combined to form three larger categories: well-being, community/environment, and work environment. To see how each of the 50 states is rated for happiness, click here!
There is a long history of immigrants starting businesses in America and contributing to the US economy. Some of the largest and most iconic companies in the United States were founded by immigrants, such as Alexander Graham Bell and Levi Strauss. According to the National Bureau of Economic Research, immigrants living in the USA start around 25% of all new businesses in the United States. Other researchers have found that immigrant entrepreneurs launch about 40% of the new companies in certain states like California, New Jersey and New York, plus they help to generate 3-4 million new jobs in the USA. To read more, click here!
A common question that people ask about relocation to the USA is: How much does it cost to live in America comfortably? The amount required to live in the United States will depend on different factors, such as which state a person resides in, whether he/she lives in a big city or small town, and the number of people in the household. A recent study examined the cost of living in the US states for a single person, including the minimum income needed before taxes, the cost of housing, and the price of food. Among the least expensive states to live in America were Arkansas, Iowa, Kentucky, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Dakota, and Tennessee. States with the highest cost of living in the USA included California, Hawaii, Maryland, New Jersey, and New York. To read the full article, click here!
The booming American economy is a composite of the individual economies found in each of the 50 states and the District of Columbia which collectively contribute to the overall picture regarding US employment, worker wages, and GDP growth. Six maps make it easy to compare the economic performance of each state and to better understand the strength of the national economy taken as a whole. One of the maps shows that most states have low unemployment rates and many states enjoy very low rates of unemployment in the 2-4% range (also indicating where substantial labor shortages exist). The majority of states are experiencing GDP increases, but some states (like Texas, Idaho, Florida, Oregon, California, and Colorado) are leading the rest of the country in robust economic growth. Another map reveals differences in wage increases for people working in America, with salaries rising more rapidly in Maryland, West Virginia, South Carolina and Georgia. To read the full article and view the maps, click here!
A former refugee from Laos has established a successful restaurant in Washington, DC, after moving to America with her family. Her journey began when she and her family moved from Laos to a refugee camp in Thailand, which was then followed by immigration to the United States and settlement in the San Francisco area in northern California. In 2014, this immigrant entrepreneur opened the first restaurant in the nation’s capital that serves Lao cuisine. Today, Chef Seng is a US immigration success story. Not only is her restaurant popular with patrons in Washington, DC, but she has received national recognition, including from Bon Appétit magazine and nominations for James Beard Awards. Chef Seng says that her greatest reward is working in America doing what she is passionate about, which is cooking. To read more, click here!
The WalletHub financial website recently evaluated all 50 states based on 29 measures to determine which states have the highest median household income, taking into account the cost of living. Median income is the middle income between the highest and lowest salaries. Each state received a total score on a scale of 0-100 and rankings were given for factors such as economic environment and the strength of the job market. The state of Utah came in 1st place with a median annual income of $65,327 and was ranked #2 for best US job market. Virginia was rated in 2nd place with a median income of $64,725 per year and had the 9th leading job market in the country. In 3rd place was Minnesota, which had the #4 US job market and a yearly median income of $63,407. Other states that were listed among the top 10 states with the highest paying jobs in America (adjusted for cost of living) included: #4 Wyoming ($61,865); #5 Colorado ($61,114), which also had the #1 US job market; #6 Illinois ($60,901); #7 New Jersey ($60,461); #8 Texas ($60,008); #9 Iowa ($59,770); and #10 New Hampshire ($59,552). To read the full article, click here!
According to data released by the Department of Labor, 223,000 new US jobs were added to the economy during May 2018, pushing the unemployment rate down even further to an 18-year low of only 3.8 percent. The percentage of people working in America is now the highest it has been since April 2000 and matches the high US employment rate from back in 1969. An average of 207,000 new US jobs have been produced each month during 2018, but the expanding economy and tight labor market make it challenging for many employers to find enough qualified workers. To read more, click here!
The United States is a country of immigrants from around the world, with several “waves” of newcomers arriving at America’s shores over the centuries. Many people who immigrate to the USA have fled famine, religious persecution or war in pursuit of freedom, equality, jobs, and overall better opportunities available from living in America. The first wave of US immigration saw more than 7.5 million people move to America between 1820 and 1870, with many arriving from Germany and Ireland. During the second wave of immigration to the United States, many Chinese came to California in the mid-1800s to take part in the Gold Rush. The third wave of US immigration occurred at the end of the 19th century and during the first half of the 20th century, with millions of immigrants arriving at Ellis Island in New York, particularly from southern and eastern Europe (e.g., Italy, Russia and Hungary). Finally, the fourth and current wave of immigration to the United States started in the 1970s with millions of people moving to America from Mexico, Central America, South America and The Caribbean, followed more recently by large numbers of immigrants from India, China and elsewhere in Asia and Africa. As millions of people immigrate to the USA, the country’s demography is becoming more diverse. To read more, click here!
The US Department of Labor released more good news about the American economy on May 8, 2018, reporting a record 6.6 million jobs in the USA remained vacant in March 2018 because there were not enough workers to fill them all. The Job Openings and Labor Turnover (JOLTS) report also revealed that unfilled US job openings increased substantially from 6.1 million in February 2018 to 6.6 million in March 2018 (a one-month increase of 7.8% for US job vacancies). Additionally, data from the JOLTS survey showed a rise of workers choosing to quit their jobs in the USA, from 3.2 million in February 2018 to 3.3 million in March 2018, suggesting greater confidence by people who work in America. According to a senior economist, most people who voluntarily quit their jobs in the USA receive an increase in pay from their new employer. Earlier in the month, the US Labor Department announced that the country’s unemployment rate had dropped from a low 4.1% in March 2018 to an even lower 3.9% in April 2018. To read more, click here!
On May 4, 2018, the US Department of Labor reported that the unemployment rate in the United States dropped even further to only 3.9% in April 2018. This is the lowest rate of US unemployment since the Year 2000. Previously, the unemployment rate in the United States had remained unchanged at a 17-year low of 4.1% from October 2017 through March 2018. The US Labor Department also reported that the economy created 164,000 new jobs in the USA during April 2018. This included 54,000 US jobs generated in professional and business services, 24,000 new jobs in manufacturing, and another 24,000 positions filled in the healthcare sector. Statistics reveal that an average of 202,000 US jobs have been produced each month between January 2018 and April 2018. Furthermore, average hourly wages increased by 2.6% between April 2017 and April 2018, according to government data. Economists expect wages for people working in America to continue rising during 2018 due to a tight labor market. The economy is growing so fast that even with the 2.7 million new US jobs created since the start of the Trump Administration 15 months ago, there are still 6 million jobs in the USA that remain unfilled because there are not enough qualified workers available. To read the full article, click here!
With US employment at a 17-year high and the economy creating new jobs in the USA for an impressive 90 consecutive months, people have more options regarding where to work in America. The very low unemployment rate (only 4.1% in March 2018) is also making it more challenging for employers to find and retain enough workers to fill all of the new US jobs being produced. Therefore, many employers in the United States have taken extra steps to provide a work environment that current and future employees will find attractive. In May 2018, Forbes released its ranking of the best places to work in the USA, based upon research from a large survey of 30,000 American workers conducted by Statista. The top 10 most popular places where employees enjoy working in America for 2018 include: #1 Michelin, #2 Trader Joe’s, #3 Google, #4 Principal Financial, #5 Costco, #6 Penn Medicine, #7 NRG Energy, #8 Wegmans Food Markets, #9 Harvard University, and #10 Navy Federal Credit Union. To read more, click here!
Immigration to the United States is making America even more diverse, with 15.28% of the people living in the USA foreign-born, according to 2017 UN data. Mexico continues to be the largest source country for immigrants who live in the USA, accounting for 25.5% of the US foreign-born population. Nonetheless, there has been an increase in the number of people who immigrate to the United States from countries in Asia. For example, the UN reports that approximately 14% of all the immigrants living in the USA during 2017 were originally born in China (4.9%), India (4.6%) and The Philippines (4.2%). To read the full article, click here!
Data recently released by the US Census Bureau indicates that immigration to the United States contributed to population growth in the majority of counties across America from July 1, 2016 to July 1, 2017. The Census Bureau reported that positive net US immigration occurred in 2,446 of 3,142 counties in the USA during this 12-month time period. Some of the largest increases in population resulting from immigration to the United States took place in several counties in Florida, New York, New Jersey, Virginia, Texas, and California, according to the Census data. The Miami-Dade County area of Florida had the biggest boost in population resulting from US immigration. To read more, click here!
It can be a challenge for young adults from the “Millennial Generation” (in the 22-37 age range) to get established in life; however, an assessment of all 50 states and the District of Columbia (Washington, DC) has revealed several affordable locations that offer Millennials great employment opportunities and a high quality of life. In order to find the best places for Millennials to live and work in the USA, the WalletHub personal finance website assessed five key characteristics for each location: quality of life, affordability, health and education, civic engagement, and economic health. Washington, DC, was rated as the #1 place for Millennials to live and work in America, followed by #2 North Dakota, #3 Minnesota, #4 Massachusetts, #5 Iowa, #6 Wisconsin, #7 Utah, #8 Nebraska, #9 Colorado, and #10 South Dakota. To read the full article, click here!
A recent study evaluated 875 businesses in the United States to determine the best large companies for women to work in the USA. Some of the factors examined included benefits provided to mothers, opportunities for women to exercise leadership in the firm, and whether the business has conducted a salary equity analysis. According to this analysis, some of the top places for women to work in America during 2018 are General Motors, PepsiCo, Accenture, Colgate-Palmolive, Microsoft, and Symantec. To read more, click here!
Where are the healthiest places to live in America during 2018? A study released by US News & World Report on March 26, 2018, named Falls Church in Virginia as the #1 location for healthy living in the USA. Communities across the United States were evaluated in this study based on 10 factors: population health, equity, education, economy, housing, food and nutrition, environment, public safety, community vitality, and infrastructure. The communities were rated for each factor on a scale of 0-10 and the top 500 communities for healthy living in America were then listed. To see the full ranking, click here!
According to a report issued by the US Department of Labor on March 9, 2018, America’s growing economy created 313,000 new jobs in the USA during February 2018. The Labor Department also reported that the US unemployment rate in February 2018 remained at a very low 4.1 percent. Hiring was robust in several business sectors during the second month of the New Year. For example, the construction industry created 61,000 US jobs in February 2018; 50,000 positions were filled in the professional and business services sector; another 50,000 retail jobs were added; manufacturing jobs in the USA increased by 31,000; employment in financial services rose by 28,000; healthcare jobs added another 19,000 US jobs; and the mining industry hired 9,000 workers. To read more, click here!
On February 27, 2018, US News & World Report released its 2018 ranking of the states with the best quality of life in the United States. All 50 states in the USA were evaluated for their natural environments (e.g., air quality, clean drinking water, pollution, etc.) and social environments (e.g., social support, community engagement, etc.). According to this analysis, North Dakota has the #1 best standard of living in America, followed by #2 Minnesota, #3 Wisconsin, #4 New Hampshire, #5 South Dakota, #6 Mississippi, #7 Arkansas, #8 New Mexico, #9 Iowa, and #10 Colorado. To see the full list, click here!
If you are thinking about where to live and work in the USA, one of the factors you might be considering is affordability. Some cities with good-paying jobs in America have a high cost of living. There are also places to live in the USA that are not very expensive, partly because the jobs do not pay well. In either scenario, it can be a challenge to save money. A recent report released in February 2018 has revealed that there are several cities in the United States where the cost of living is low and the salaries are high, making it much easier for residents to save money to buy a home, pay for college, take a vacation, invest for retirement, etc. For example, the average salary in Oklahoma City is $72,385 per year, yet, the average rent is only $1,070 each month and the daily living expenses are also very reasonable. To read the full article, click here!
When you move to America, you will want to secure US employment as soon as possible. Therefore, you may be interested in an analysis of the top 100 best jobs in the USA for 2018, which was published by US News & World Report on January 10, 2018. The overall ranking of US jobs was made based upon several factors, such as each occupation’s median salary, rate of employment in the USA, growth volume over 10 years, growth percentage during a 10-year period, future US employment prospects, stress level, and work-life balance. According to the researchers, the #1 job in America for 2018 is software developer, which has a median salary of $100,080 per year, followed by #2 dentist ($153,900), #3 physician assistant ($101,480), #4 nurse practitioner ($100,910), #5 orthodontist ($208,000), #6 statistician ($80,500), #7 pediatrician ($168,990), #8 obstetrician and gynecologist ($208,000), #9 oral and maxillofacial surgeon ($208,000), and #10 physician ($196,380). To see the full list and details for the 100 top jobs in the USA, click here!
Many companies are finding it difficult to find enough employees to work in the US construction and manufacturing sectors. Approximately 406,000 jobs in the USA were created in the construction and manufacturing industries during 2017, including 30,000 new construction jobs (such as electricians and plumbers) and 25,000 new manufacturing jobs filled in December 2017. It is predicted that hundreds of thousands of additional US jobs will be created in the construction and manufacturing fields during 2018 and beyond if President Trump is able to fulfill his election campaign pledge to re-build America’s infrastructure (e.g., bridges, roads, etc.). Spending on new infrastructure projects in the United States could further stimulate the red-hot American economy and produce additional US employment opportunities in the construction and manufacturing sectors. A key challenge, however, will be finding enough qualified blue collar workers to fill all of the new US jobs that will generated by increased spending on infrastructure. To read the full article, click here!
With the economy booming and US employment at the highest level in 17 years, many workers will be looking for new jobs in America during the New Year. This is an especially good time to switch jobs in the USA in order to get a better salary, since there is a shortage of qualified workers and employers are having to offer higher salaries to attract or retain workers. The WalletHub.com website recently evaluated 182 of the largest cities across the United States based upon 26 factors (such as US job opportunities, unemployment rate, median monthly salaries, growth in employment, housing affordability, etc.). According to this assessment, the top 20 best cities to find jobs in the USA during 2018 include: #1 Chandler (Arizona), #2 Scottsdale (Arizona), #3 San Francisco (California), #4 Peoria (Arizona), #5 Gilbert (Arizona), #6 Plano (Texas), #7 Portland (Maine), #8 Irvine (California), #9 Madison (Wisconsin), and #10 Boston (Massachusetts). To read the full article, click here!
As 2017 comes to an end, people who live in America are expressing optimism about the economy, jobs in the USA and the future. According to a report released by the US Conference Board in December 2017, consumer confidence in the United States is close to a 17-year high. The Director of Economic Indicators at the Conference Board explained that “consumers’ expectations remain at historically strong levels, suggesting economic growth will continue well into 2018.” The Conference Board reported that people who live in America are optimistic about the future for several reasons. With the US employment rate at a 17-year high, jobs in the USA are plentiful. As of November 2017, the unemployment rate in the United States was only 4.1 percent (the lowest since 2000), which basically means that anyone who wants to work in America can find US employment. Furthermore, the economy has been creating new jobs in the USA for an amazing 86 straight months, which is the longest stretch of US job creation since 1939. Americans are also feeling more prosperous, particularly since the stock market is soaring and tax cuts are coming in 2018. Thus, with extra money to spend and increased confidence about the future, more Americans plan to make big ticket purchases (e.g., refrigerators, washing machines, etc.) and take vacations during the next six month, according to the Conference Board. To read more, click here!
On January 5, 2018, the US Department of Labor released statistics revealing that the economy produced 2 million new jobs in the USA during 2017. This included 300,000 US jobs in the healthcare sector, 250,000 jobs in the food & beverage industry, 210,000 new construction jobs in the USA, and close to 200,000 positions filled in the manufacturing sector. December 2017 was the 87th consecutive month that new US jobs have been added to America’s booming economy, which ended the year with a very low unemployment rate of only 4.1 percent. Not only was there increased hiring across the country in 2017, but people who work in the USA earned salaries that were an average of 2.5% higher than in 2016. To read more, click here!
Are you looking for a great place to work in the United States? The results of a large survey conducted by the US job website Glassdoor were released at the end of 2017 in which current and past employees at companies across America were asked to anonymously rate employers. The survey participants shared what they considered to be the positive and negative aspects of working at the US companies and evaluated them based on such factors as career opportunities, pay and benefits, work-life balance, senior management, culture and values, and other workplace characteristics. For the 8th year in a row, Facebook was ranked by employees as the #1 best place to work in America. Other companies listed among the top 100 places to work in the USA for 2018 include: #2 Bain & Company, #3 Boston Consulting Group, #4 In-N-Out Burger, #5 Google, #6 Lululemon, #7 Hubspot, #8 World Wide Technology, #9 St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, and #10 Ultimate Software. To read the full article and review the complete list of the 100 best places to work in America for 2018, click here!
The US Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) released a report in November 2017 which forecasts that 11.5 million new US jobs will be created between 2016 and 2026. The services sector is predicted to produce 10.5 million new jobs in the USA by 2026 in professions such as mathematicians and information security analysts. The healthcare and social assistance sector is expected to generate another four-million US jobs over the next nine years, while employment in the construction industry is forecast to increase by 219,000 new positions. Many of the fastest-growing jobs in the USA will be in the clean/renewable energy, healthcare and technology sectors. For example, solar power panel installers are predicted to enjoy a 105% rise in hiring, while US employment for wind turbine service technicians is anticipated to soar by 96% in 2016-2026. Additionally, the BLS forecasts that hiring for nurse practitioners will increase by 36 percent, physical therapist assistants will see a gain in US employment of 31 percent, and the demand for software developers could rise by 30% during this 10-year time period. To read more, click here!
In October 2017, the economy created 261,000 new jobs in the USA, which pushed the already low unemployment rate down even further to only 4.1 percent. This is the lowest unemployment rate in the United States in 17 years (since December 2000) and the largest number of US jobs added to the economy in a single month so far this year. Strong economic growth in the United States has been producing new jobs in the USA for 85 consecutive months, which is the longest US job growth streak in history. Furthermore, it was reported that wages in the United States increased 2.4% between October 2016 and October 2017. To read the full article, click here!
Many American Millennials who are starting their careers and families, as well as immigrants who are beginning their new lives in the USA, have discovered that cities in the South and the Midwest have excellent job opportunities, affordable housing and offer a high quality of life. A study published in September 2017 examined the 75 largest metropolitan areas in the United States and declared Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, the #1 place for Millennials to live in the USA. Some of the pluses about living in Pittsburgh include plentiful employment and a median rent of only $837 per month. Other cities in America that Millennials and immigrants might find attractive include: #2 Provo, Utah; #3 Madison, Wisconsin; #4 San Antonio, Texas; #5 Columbus, Ohio; #6 Charleston, South Carolina; #7 Omaha, Nebraska; #8 Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; #9 Houston, Texas; and #10 Minneapolis, Minnesota. To read more, click here!
Immigrants often move to America’s large cities in search of opportunities, but smaller cities and towns are also great places to live in the USA. In September 2017, Time.com published its annual ranking of the top 100 smaller cities and towns to live in America for 2017. Communities with a population of 10,000 to 100,000 were evaluated across the United States based on the following criteria: economy, cost of living, education, housing, crime, amenities, and ease of living. According to this assessment, Fishers, Indiana (population 86,000), located a short distance from Indianapolis, is the #1 best place to live in the USA, partly because it has a booming economy, low cost of living, excellent schools, and is a prime place to start a business. The #2 top spot to live in America is Allen (Texas), followed by #3 Monterey Park (California), #4 Franklin (Tennessee), #5 Olive Branch (Mississippi), #6 Dickinson (North Dakota), #7 Lone Tree (Colorado), #8 North Arlington (New Jersey), #9 Schaumburg (Illinois), and #10 Bozeman (Montana). To read more about these and 90 other incredible communities across the United States, click here!
When looking for work in America, there are many factors to consider, ideally, before you move to the US state and get settled there. A recent analysis ranked the top states for US job seekers during 2017, based on such factors as the median annual income, unemployment rate, percentage of workers with health insurance, and the economic outlook in each state. After taking all of these factors into account, the assessment ranked Washington as the #1 state to work in America, followed by #2 Colorado, #3 New Hampshire, #4 South Dakota, #5 New Jersey, #6 Minnesota, #7 Massachusetts, #8 California, #9 Tennessee, and #10 Florida. To read the full article and view more results, click here!
The booming US economy boosted the median annual salaries of middle class workers in the USA to a record $59,039 in 2016, according to data released in September 2017 by the US Census Bureau. This was a 3.2% increase in wages compared to 2016, which is a significant improvement in pay for millions of people who work in America. The median salary is half-way between the highest and lowest salary. Not only are middle class Americans making more money, but the US Census Bureau also revealed that the rate of poverty in the USA fell to 12.7% in 2016. As the US economy continues to grow and create new jobs in America, there is greater competition among employers to attract qualified workers, which has helped wages climb to record highs. To read more, click here!
People looking for the perfect place to live and work in the USA may find useful information in a report published in September 2017. The assessment by Glassdoor.com rated cities across the United States based on such factors as job opportunities, job satisfaction and the cost of living. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, was ranked as the #1 top city to work and live in America for 2017, followed by #2 Indianapolis, Indiana; #3 Kansas City, Missouri; #4 Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina; #5 St. Louis, Missouri; #6 Memphis, Tennessee; #7 Columbus, Ohio; #8 Cincinnati, Ohio; #9 Cleveland, Ohio; and #10 Louisville, Kentucky. Fifteen other cities were included among the best cities to live and work in the USA for 2017. To read more, click here!
On August 8, 2017, the US Department of Labor released its Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS) report which revealed that a record 6.2 million jobs in the USA were unfilled at the end of June 2017. This basically means that employers across the United States can’t find enough workers to fill all of the job openings that the booming US economy is creating. The shortage of qualified people to work in America is occurring in all business sectors of the US economy. For example, 388,000 manufacturing jobs in the USA were unfilled in June 2017 and another 225,000 US job openings in the construction industry remained vacant across the country that same month. Since January 1, 2017, over one-million new US jobs have been created (209,000 positions filled in July 2017 alone). With the US unemployment rate at only 4.3% (the lowest level in 16 years) and the economy at full employment, many employers in the United States are having to offer higher salaries to recruit and keep employees. This is great news for people who want to work in America since there are literally millions of jobs in the USA available for them to apply for. To read more, click here!
It is well-known that there is a concentration of high-tech companies in California’s Silicon Valley, located south of San Francisco, and that this is one of the top areas to find technology jobs in the USA. What many people don’t realize, however, is that there are many US jobs available for IT professionals in several cities across the United States. For example, recent research has found that software jobs in the city of Seattle in the state of Washington grew by 6.7% between 2012 and 2017, making Seattle the #1 best place outside of the Silicon Valley to find software jobs in the USA. Other top cities for software professionals to find work in America (outside of the Silicon Valley) include #2 Washington, DC; #3 Detroit, Michigan; #4 Denver, Colorado; #5 Austin, Texas; #6 San Francisco, California; #7 Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas; #8 New York City, New York; #9 Orlando, Florida; and #10 Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina. Currently, there is an especially high demand for software engineers to work in the USA, not only in the technology industry, but also across other sectors of the economy, such as banking/finance, education, manufacturing, and retail/commerce. To read more, click here!
An assessment of all 50 states in the United States has named Washington as the #1 state for business in America for 2017. In this analysis, published by CNBC on July 11, 2017, researchers evaluated each state based upon 10 factors and then gave each state a comparative ranking on each factor and also an overall ranking (which takes into account all 10 factors collectively). These 10 factors examined the workforce, infrastructure, cost of doing business, economy, quality of life, technology & innovation, education, business friendliness, access to capital, and cost of living in each state. The study found that the top 10 best states for business in America during 2017 are: #1 Washington, #2 Georgia, #3 Minnesota, #4 Texas, #5 North Carolina, #6 Colorado, #7 Virginia, #8 Utah, #9 Tennessee, and #10 Massachusetts. Although this study focused on the best places for business in the USA, the rankings of each state on different factors (such as quality of life, economy, education or infrastructure) could be useful for people who want to move to America, to help them decide where they want to live in the USA. For example, Hawaii was ranked #1 for quality of life; Georgia came in 1st place for its strong economy; Massachusetts was rated #1 for education; and Texas was the top state for infrastructure. To read more about each state’s ranking, click here!
A survey of 1,300 heads of households conducted in June 2017 by the New York Federal Reserve Bank has found that more Americans are confident about the US economy, their likelihood of finding and keeping a job, and their chances of receiving a higher salary. The percentage of Americans who think that their economic situation has improved since last year is also at a record high, according to this large survey. Furthermore, the survey discovered that growing consumer confidence among people who live in the USA is likely to lead to increased spending, which should help to further boost the US economy. To read the full article, click here!
The Department of Labor reported that America’s booming economy created 222,000 new jobs in the USA during June 2017. With the unemployment rate in the United States at its lowest level in 16 years (only 4.4 percent in June 2017), many employers are facing challenges finding enough qualified workers to fill US job openings across the country. In fact, the booming US economy has created a “job-seekers market” in which employers are having to pay higher salaries in order to find or retain qualified workers. There is such a strong demand for people to work in America and fill US job vacancies that increasingly, employers are paying recruiters to find potential new employees who possess the education, skills and work experience required for open positions. This is good news for people who want to live and work in America, including those who want to immigrate to the United States through the Green Card Lottery, since this is the perfect time to find jobs in the USA in a variety of occupations. To read more, click here!
According to a demographic overview of the US population, around 24% of the approximately 325 million people who live in the United States are either immigrants or the children of immigrants. The five largest nationalities that US residents identified with in the latest Census Bureau data were all European in origin (German, Irish, English, Italian and Polish); however, the fastest growth rate for people who live in the USA is occurring among people whose ancestry originates in Africa or the Middle East. To read more, click here!
When seeking US employment in the technology sector, job-seekers often think about the “Silicon Valley” in Northern California, where several of the world’s largest high-tech firms are located. A recent analysis has found, however, that there are many high-tech jobs in the USA available in cities all across the country. Among the top 20 best cities to find high-tech jobs in America are #1 Huntsville (Alabama), #2 Thousand Oaks (southern California), and Phoenix (Arizona). Other US cities with a strong demand for high-tech workers include Kansas City (Kansas), Cincinnati (Ohio), Indianapolis (Indiana), Nashville (Tennessee), as well as Jacksonville, Orlando and Tampa (all three in Florida). There are additional advantages to consider when searching outside of the Silicon Valley for US employment in the high-tech sector, such as the lower cost of housing in many of these locations. To read more, click here!
The United States is a land of opportunity for immigrants from around the world, including those who immigrate to the USA from Latin America. Hispanics account for approximately 17.6% of the US population and they own over 3.3 million businesses throughout the United States. Risk-taking, hard work and a drive to succeed are some common characteristics shared by both immigrants and entrepreneurs, so it is not surprising that many Hispanics who immigrate to the USA have been able to find their fortunes by establishing successful businesses in America. To read about five Hispanic entrepreneurs who were able to move to the USA and become self-made millionaires, click here!
A 2016 report by the Kauffman Foundation revealed that immigrant entrepreneurs start about one-third of all new businesses in the United States and that people who immigrate to the USA are twice as likely as US-born residents to establish their own companies. The influence of immigrant entrepreneurs to the US economy can easily be seen in the state of Illinois, where approximately 25% of all the entrepreneurs were born outside of the United States. In Chicago alone, there are 110,000 immigrant entrepreneurs who have started their own companies and created new US employment opportunities. For example, a man originally from Sudan was able to immigrate to the USA from Ethiopia with his mother and brothers back in 1986 when he was a boy, and today he is living the American Dream as the owner of two successful companies which he started in Chicago. Another immigrant entrepreneur was able to immigrate to the USA from Mexico and has started four shops in the Chicago area since 1995 which sell candies and other tasty treats. To read the full article, click here!
During the past several decades, many textile jobs in the USA have moved overseas, but a recent immigrant entrepreneur from India is creating new US employment opportunities by making the clothes that her company sells right here in the United States. Suuchi Ramesh was able to move to America around a decade ago after being approved for US immigration and she initially worked in the technology sector. She sometimes found it difficult finding clothes that she liked and which fit her properly, so she started making some of her own clothing. In 2015, after living in America for a relatively short period of time, this US immigration “success story” launched her own clothing company called Suuchi Inc. Today, her company has 60 employees and she hopes to hire another 40 American workers by the end of 2017. This successful immigrant businesswoman says she is proud that her customized clothing is Made in the USA and reminds people that many new jobs in America are created by immigrant entrepreneurs like her. To read more, click here!
The United States has been enjoying strong economic growth and very low unemployment which has helped to make American workers more confident about looking for new jobs in the USA. For example, the ADP payroll processing company reported in May 2017 that 27% of the 24 million American workers that they provide payroll services for found new jobs in the USA during the 12 month period that ended April 30, 2017. It was also reported that when workers switch jobs in America, they tend to earn more money than if they had remained with their previous employer. No wonder a recent ADP survey of 2,156 individuals found that 63% of the people who work in the USA are open to changing jobs and 17% are currently seeking better US employment opportunities with a different company. Although many Americans who switched jobs in the USA during the past 12 months were looking for higher salaries, more money wasn’t the top motivation for finding new employment. For example, the Work Institute conducted a survey of 34,000 people who recently changed jobs in America and discovered that 22% reported that they were seeking further development of their careers (the #1 reason), 12% wanted better work-life balance, 11% gave management behavior as the reason, 9% were looking for better pay or benefits, and 9% were searching for a greater sense of well-being.To read the full article, click here!
With the economy expanding and US employment at its highest level in a decade, many companies are facing a challenge filling high-demand jobs in the USA. This is good news for those looking for work in America, since more and more employers are offering high salaries and excellent working conditions in order to attract and retain employees with the job skills they need. According to a recent report, many of the fastest growing jobs in America for 2017 with the highest salaries and best work environments are in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) occupations. For example, statistician jobs in the USA have a median annual salary of $80,110 and are forecast to experience a robust US job growth rate of 34% between 2017 and 2024. Medical services managers, operations research analysts, information security analysts, data scientists, university professors, mathematicians, software engineers, occupational therapists and speech pathologists are currently among best jobs in America and are projected to offer good US employment opportunities for the next several years, according to the report. To read more, click here!
The US Department of Labor reported the creation of 211,000 new jobs in the USA during April 2017 and a further drop in the unemployment rate to a 10-year low of only 4.4 percent. Not since since May 2007 have so many Americans been working, as the economy marked 79 consecutive months of sustained US job growth. According to a statement released by the US Secretary of Labor on May 5, 2017, “This steady and sustained increase in job creation equals new paychecks for American workers and income for American families.” In April 2017, the largest number of new jobs in the USA were created in business services, education, health, hospitality & leisure, but the manufacturing and mining sectors also experienced an increase of new US jobs. During the first four months of 2017, an average of 185,000 new US jobs have been created each month as the American economy continues to grow at a very healthy pace. To read more, click here!
Immigrants who want to live and work in America may want to look for US jobs in the consulting or high-tech sectors, since companies in these fields offer some of the highest salaries for any jobs in the USA. According to a report released by the Glassdoor.com website in April 2017, 24 out of the 25 highest paying businesses in the United States for 2017 are either consulting firms or technology companies. One of the key reasons given for the high six-figure salaries paid to consultants and tech workers in these companies is that there is a shortage of people with the expertise needed for these kinds of jobs in the USA. To read the full article, click here!
If you are planning to move to America, you may want to consider living in one of these highly-rated cities. In its annual survey of the top cities to live in the USA, researchers at Niche.com evaluated 228 cities across the United States based on various quality of life factors such as: rate of higher education; cost of living; housing; public schools; diversity; commute time; overall experience; crime and safety; family friendliness; health; jobs; nightlife; outdoor activities; and weather. Among the top 100 cities to live in the USA for 2017 were #1 Ann Arbor (Michigan); #2 Naperville (Illinois); #3 Arlington (Virginia); #4 Columbia (Maryland); #5 Berkeley (California); #6 The Woodlands (Texas); #7 Plano (Texas); #8 Overland Park (Kansas); #9 Boulder (Colorado); and #10 Irvine (California). To read more, click here!
According to the Consumer Confidence Index report released by The Conference Board in March 2017, optimism about the economy and US jobs among people who live in America soared to its highest level in 16 years! Data provided by The Conference Board revealed that Americans have not been this highly confident about current and future economic conditions in the United States since December 2000. The Consumer Confidence Index indicates that people who live in America are particularly optimistic about business opportunities, personal income and the availability of jobs in the USA. To read more, click here!
A major benefit for those who move to the USA through the Green Card Lottery US immigration program is the option to apply to become an American citizen. Being granted American citizenship is especially important for many people who immigrate to the USA from Asian countries. For example, US Green Card holders originating from countries in Asia were the #1 largest group to be granted American citizenship in 2015, with 261,374 individuals from Asia able to become an American citizen out of a total of 730,259 Green Card holders conferred US citizenship that year. Among the top countries of origin for Green Card holders from Asia applying to become an American citizen in 2015 were individuals from China, India and The Philippines. In order to become an American citizen, a US Green Card holder must live in the USA at least five years and meet other criteria before they can apply for US citizenship. The naturalization process to become an American citizen, once started, usually take approximately six months to complete. After a Green Card holder is granted US citizenship, he or she has the right to apply for an American Passport; vote in national, state and local elections; sponsor certain close family members for a Green Card; and even run for elected office (with the exception of US President, since the Constitution requires that the US President must be born as an American citizen). To read the entire article, click here!
On March 8, 2017, the respected Pew Research Center in the United States published a new report which says that sustained US immigration will be needed during the next two decades in order for the American economy to keep growing at a healthy pace. The study found that as more workers from the “baby-boomer” generation (i.e., born between 1945 and 1965) retire from the US labor force over the next 20 years, and as the American economy continues to grow during this same time period, there is likely to be a significant shortage of people to work in the USA unless large numbers of individuals immigrate to the United States. The Pew Research Center analysis further reveals that the overall number and percentage of people who work in the USA and whose parents were born in the United States will decline substantially between 2015 and 2035, even as the number and share of workers born of immigrant parents is expected to soar. A key point of this report is that people who immigrate to the USA will be the most important driving force behind the growth of the US workforce over the next two decades. To read the full report, click here!
If you want to live in the United States and experience a happy and healthy life, you might consider moving to one of the many beautiful “beach cities” found along the American coasts. Aside from the tranquility and spectacular scenery found along the seashore: Why live in the USA near the ocean? According to the Gallup-Healthways 2016 Community Well-Being Rankings which was published on March 7, 2017, a large number of the best cities for well-being throughout the United States are located along the coast. The Gallup-Healthways 2016 Community Well-Being Rankings was based upon 350,000 interviews conducted in 2015 and 2016 regarding 189 communities across America, measuring “well-being” using Community, Emotional, Financial, Physical and Social factors. For the second consecutive year, the seaside city of Naples in Florida was ranked as the #1 place to live in the USA for well-being, followed by #2 Barnstable, Massachusetts, #3 Santa Cruz, California, and #4 Honolulu, Hawaii – all four communities located next to the ocean. In fact, eight out of the top 10 best cities to live in the USA for quality of life are situated along the sea. To learn more about the best cities to live in America for well-being, click here!
According to a study released in February 2017 by the Pew Research Center and reported by the Voice of America (VOA) on February 21, 2017, there has been a significant increase in the number of immigrants from countries in Africa who live in the United States. For example, there were only 80,000 immigrants from Africa living in the USA in 1970, but that number had risen substantially to 880,000 in 2000 and as of 2015, there were 2.1 million immigrants from African countries who live in America. The VOA article also notes that 38% of immigrants from Sub-Sahara Africa who live in the United States have at least a Bachelor’s Degree, which is higher than the 28% of all immigrants who live in the USA who have completed an undergraduate degree or higher. Although immigrants from African countries who live in America have settled in states across the country, the largest number of African immigrants have moved to California, Maryland, New York and Texas. To read more, click here!
On February 1, 2017, the Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index named Hawaii as the #1 best state to live in the USA in order to enjoy a high quality of life. This was the sixth time since 2008 that the annual Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index had given the “Aloha State” the highest quality of life rating. Between January 2016 and December 2016, Gallup conducted 177,000 interviews with adults from all 50 states, asking them questions designed to measure “well-being” which were categorized into five key factors: Purpose (i.e. individuals enjoy what they do), Social (i.e., possessing supportive relationships), Financial (i.e., management of financial life “to reduce stress and increase security”), Community (i.e., enjoying where one lives, feeling safe), and Physical (i.e., possessing good health). Individuals who live in the US state of Hawaii scored higher than residents of the other 49 states on the Community, Financial and Physical quality of life factors, while people who live in Alaska were rated #1 for the Social factor and Texas residents came in 1st place for Purpose. Following #1 Hawaii, the other top 10 states to live in the USA for quality of life were #2 Alaska, #3 South Dakota, #4 Maine, #5 Colorado, #6 Vermont, #7 Arizona, #8 Montana, #9 Minnesota and #10 Texas. This massive Gallup survey of people who live in America also discovered that the sense of well-being across the United States had significantly increased each year during 2014, 2015 and 2016. To read the full article, click here!
On November 17, 2016, the US Department of Commerce reported that new housing starts across the United States had reached their highest level in nine years. New housing construction, including single-family homes and multi-family homes, increased in all regions of the USA. Overall, there was a 25.5% rise in new housing starts across America, which was the biggest increase since August 2007. Low unemployment and rising wages for jobs in the USA are contributing to the housing boom, which is expected to further boost the expanding US economy. To read the full article, click here!
In early November 2016, the US Department of Labor announced that America’s economy has been creating thousands of jobs in the USA for an impressive 73 months in a row. There were 161,000 new US jobs added to the economy during October 2016, which followed 191,000 new jobs in the USA created in September 2016. The Labor Department also reported that the US unemployment rate stood at a healthy 4.9 percent and that wages had risen by their fastest pace since June 2009. To read more, click here!
A large survey published by the Pew Research Center on October 6, 2016, reports that the US employment scene has been going through a major transformation over the years and that American workers have been adapting to the various changes that have occurred in the US job market. One of the key findings is that the biggest growth in US employment and wages is occurring for jobs in the USA requiring strong analytical or social skills. The survey also discovered that most people who live in America believe that they need ongoing training in order to keep pace with the many changes taking place in the US job market and that it is the responsibility of individuals to get the necessary training. According to the report, a professional or technical certificate is considered by Americans to be the best post-secondary education to have to prepare for jobs in the USA, with a four-year university degree rated #2 and a two-year college degree thought to be the third most useful post-secondary preparation for US employment. Additionally, the researchers found that the majority of people who work in America feel secure about keeping their jobs. To read more, click here!
On October 4, 2016, Forbes magazine published its yearly list of the 400 wealthiest Americans and a record 42 billionaires were immigrants who live in the USA. The combined net worth of the 42 richest immigrants who live in America is around $250 billion, according to the report, which also revealed that 40 of the 42 wealthiest US immigrants are “self-made” billionaires. The richest immigrant to live in the USA was only six years old when he and his family left Russia in 1979 to move to America, where he did well in school, earning a Bachelor’s Degree from the University of Maryland and a Master’s Degree from Stanford University, prior to co-founding one of the largest high-tech companies in the world – a firm called Google. Today, this self-made immigrant billionaire, Sergey Brin, is a naturalized American citizen who has a net worth estimated to be $37.5 billion, according to Forbes. One of the many interesting facts found in the report is that around 6% of the 324 million people who live in the United States are naturalized American citizens, but they make up 10.5% of the 400 richest people who live in the USA. The report also states that these 42 foreign-born American billionaires came from 21 countries from around the world: Argentina, Australia, Canada, China, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, India, Israel, Italy, Kenya, Myanmar (Burma), Pakistan, Russia, South Africa, South Korea, Taiwan, Ukraine, United Kingdom and Vietnam. To read more about these US immigration success stories, click here!
Optimism about jobs in the USA and an expanding economy helped American consumer confidence to rise to its highest level in nine years, according to the US Conference Board report released on September 27, 2016. Not since August 2007 have American consumers been so optimistic about their current situation. Furthermore, the percentage of people who live in America who think US jobs are plentiful is at its highest level since July 2007. The Confidence Board, which is based in New York, also revealed that US consumer confidence about conditions during the next six months is at its highest level since October 2015. To read the full article, click here!
On September 27, 2016, Working Mother magazine published its annual list of the top 100 best companies for parents who work in America. These companies offer working parents benefits such as child care, paid maternity leave, paid leave for new fathers, paid leave for new adoptive parents, and work schedules that are flexible, plus they promote advancement for female workers. All 100 of these companies offer female employees paid maternity leave, while 96% of the companies provide new fathers with paid leave. To read more, click here!
According to US Census data released in September 2016, 3.5 million people who live in America were pulled out of poverty during 2015. This was the biggest drop in the US poverty level since 1999. Even the world’s wealthiest countries have people who live in poverty, however, the booming US economy has made available millions of new jobs in the USA which has benefited Americans across the socioeconomic spectrum, including millions who had previously been poor. With a low unemployment rate of 4.9 percent, employers are facing a challenge finding enough people to fill various jobs in the USA. Consequently, many people who work in America have received higher incomes from their employers to retain them at their current jobs. Companies across the United States have also had to offer higher salaries to attract new employees to fill US jobs that have remained vacant due to America’s strong economy and tighter labor pool. One person who was recently lifted from poverty by the booming US economy had been earning $21 per hour, which is a good wage for people who live in America, but he wasn’t working enough hours each week. Now, he is an assistant manager at a pizza parlor in the US state of Maryland earning $40,000 per year and receiving health benefits. He and his wife and children have joined the 3.5 million people who live in America and were lifted above the poverty line in 2015, which is approximately $24,300 per year for a family with four people. To read the full article, click here!
There are many great places to live in the USA, from bustling big cities and modern suburbs to slow-paced small towns and scenic rural areas. For people wanting to immigrate to the United States, knowing the best place to live in America can be a bit of a challenge. In September 2016, Time.com published its list of the top locations to live in each state in the USA which may provide some helpful ideas for those who want to move to America. To read more, click here!
On September 21, 2016, the Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2016-2017 was published and listed 42 universities in the United States among the top 100 best universities in the world. Over 16,000 universities were assessed throughout the world based on teaching, research, knowledge transfer and international outlook. According to the Times Higher Education global university rankings, the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, California, is the #1 institution of higher education in the USA and is also #2 in the world. Other US universities listed in the among the top 10 best universities in the world were #3 Stanford University; #5 Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT); #6 Harvard University; #7 Princeton University; and tied for 10th place in the global rankings were the University of California at Berkeley and the University of Chicago. To read more, click here!
People who immigrate to the USA are more likely to start a business than those born in the United States. This is partly because individuals who move to America tend to be risk-takers, who are willing to leave their home country to find better opportunities available through US immigration. One of the main characteristics of an entrepreneur is also a willingness to take a risk in exchange for the chance to make a profit by starting a business. Approximately one-third of all new companies established in the United States were founded by immigrant entrepreneurs, who play an important role in creating new jobs in the USA and also stimulating the US economy. For example, 9% of the population of Baltimore is foreign-born, yet, immigrants own 21% of the businesses in the city. One of these US immigration success stories is told by a woman who moved to America from China, attended the University of Maryland and then launched her own candle company in 1994, which sold over 300 million candles and had $52 million in sales during 2015. To read more US immigration success stories of foreign-born entrepreneurs in Maryland, click here!
If you want to enjoy a quality lifestyle in some of the best large cities in the USA, you may want to consider moving to Boston, Raleigh, Columbus, Arlington, Colorado Springs or Portland. According to a report published September 17, 2016, these six sensational US cities are among the best places to live in the USA for those seeking a dynamic urban setting that is full of culture and has affordable housing, plenty of green space, good transportation, quality schools, lots of options for transportation, low crime, and great jobs opportunities. To read more, click here!
Recent research indicates that a growing number of people from China and India are applying for immigration to the USA. Across America and in the majority of states, people who immigrate to the USA from China and India are outpacing immigrants who come from Mexico. A key reason for increased US immigration from China and India is that many of these new arrivals move to America to work in high-technology jobs in the USA. Large cities like New York and Los Angeles remain popular destinations for Chinese and Indians who immigrate to USA, however, new arrivals are increasingly moving to smaller US cities or suburbs throughout the United States. To read the entire article, click here!
On September 13, 2016, the US Census Bureau announced that the incomes for middle class Americans increased at record levels during 2015. Government figures reveal that the real median annual household incomes of people who live in the USA rose 5.2% in 2015, from $53,700 to $56,500. This was the sharpest annual increase in US middle class incomes since the US Census Bureau starting keeping records about median income in America back in the 1960s. The data also shows that poverty in the USA dropped at its fastest pace since 1968. A substantial increase of jobs in the USA, higher salaries and low inflation have all combined to help US middle class incomes soar. To read the full article, click here!
Approximately 10 million new jobs in America are expected to be created during the 2014-2024 timeframe. Some occupations are forecast to experience a particularly high rate of US job growth over the next decade, especially in the medical field, construction industry and data analysis sector. The 24/7 Wall Street website analyzed data about 480 jobs in the USA obtained from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics and has listed the top 25 jobs in America predicted to have the fastest growth between now and 2024 along with their median yearly wages. To read more, click here!
There are approximately 28 million small businesses in the United States and many of them are owned by immigrants and minorities. Many immigrants move to America and start their own companies, which helps to create new jobs in the USA and stimulate the US economy. A recent study examined cities across the United States and discovered that California’s capital city of Sacramento is the #1 city in the USA for immigrants and minorities to open their own business. Other US cities have also seen a significant increase in the number of companies started by immigrants and minorities. To read the full article, click here!
When people immigrate to the United States, they naturally want to find a nice place to live. While many people are familiar with the larger US cities (like New York and Los Angeles), smaller cities often offer the quality lifestyle that many individuals and families find attractive. The Livability.com website evaluated over 2,000 cities in the USA with populations ranging from 20,000 to 350,000 and ranked the 100 best cities to live in America for 2016. Each of these small to medium sized cities was assessed based upon 40 indicators that were categorized into eight major livability factors: amenities, demographics, economy, education, healthcare, housing, social and civic capital, transportation and infrastructure. Scores were given to each city for each of the eight key factors and an overall livability score and ranking was also assigned. To read the full report, click here!
Florida is famous for its large Cuban-American population, due in large part to the state’s relatively close proximity to Cuba, just 90 miles away. Out of the approximately two-million Cubans who live in the USA, around 70% reside in Florida. Recently, however, a growing number of people who immigrate to the USA from Cuba are moving to Louisville, Kentucky. In fact, Cubans are now Louisville’s most rapidly-growing immigrant group. To read more, click here!
According to a new survey released August 31, 2016, by the Associated General Contractors of America, there is a significant shortage of skilled workers for constructions jobs in the USA. The report says that there is a high demand for concrete masons, electricians, plumbers, roofers and other occupations in the US construction industry. Since there is so much construction work in the USA and not enough skilled workers, many companies in the construction sector are offering higher salaries to attract qualified employees. Some of the solutions being considered include hiring more skilled foreign workers to fill high demand construction jobs in the USA, as well as increasing vocational training in US community colleges and high schools. To read the full article, click here!
One of the many benefits Green Card holders have as permanent residents of the United States is the option to start a business in the USA. Although the “Silicon Valley” in northern California is famous for its many start-up companies, particularly in the high-tech sector, a recent report has named Austin, Texas, as the #1 city in the USA to establish a business. Other cities were also listed as some of the best places to start a business in the United States, including: #2 Provo, Utah; #3 Washington, DC; #4 Denver, Colorado; and #5 Charlotte, North Carolina. To learn more, click here!
The United State continues to enjoy strong economic growth, as indicated by the 255,000 new jobs in the USA created in July 2016. According to the US Department of Labor, the unemployment rate in the United States was a very low 4.9% in July 2016, which means that most people looking for work in America found employment. Accountants, engineers and managers were among some of the jobs in the USA with the strong hiring levels. To read more, click here!
A man from Brazil who won the Green Card Lottery has become a US immigration success story and an inspiration to many others who want to move to America. In 2004, this young Brazilian was selected as a winner of the US Diversity Visa Lottery (commonly referred to as the Green Card Lottery). After successfully completing the US consular interview procedure and being issued a Diversity Visa, he was able to immigrate to the USA and settle in New York when he was only 24-years-old. At first, he and his wife struggled, but slowly they improved their English language skills, worked at various jobs in the USA and eventually made their American Dream come true by opening their own business. To read the full article, click here!
If you want to move to America and enjoy a high quality of life, you might want to consider settling in one of these US cities which have some of the best standards of living in the USA. In its 2016 rankings of the best places to live in the USA, Niche.com examined thousands of cities across the United States and graded them based on such factors as: cost of living, crime and safety, diversity, education, health and fitness, jobs, nightlife, outdoor activities, public schools, real estate, shortest commute, and weather. Based on this assessment, Bellevue, Washington, was ranked as the #1 city to live in America for a high quality life, followed by #2 Alexandria, Virginia, and #3 Plano, Texas. To learn more about the top places to live in the USA, click here!
According to a survey of over one-million businesses across the United States conducted by the US Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates, the medical sector boasts many of the highest-paying jobs in the USA. The data reveals that anesthesiologists make the most money, with a median annual salary of $258,100. Median salary is half-way between the highest salary and the lowest salary. Some of the other jobs in the USA with the highest median annual salaries include: surgeon ($247,520); psychiatrist ($193,680); general practitioner/family physician ($192,120); dentist ($172,350); petroleum engineer ($149,590); computer and information systems manager ($141,000); marketing manager ($140,660); financial manager ($134,300); sales manager ($130,400); and human resources manager ($117,080). To read more, click here!
America is not only the land of opportunity, but also a land of equal opportunities for men and women. In the USA, women have equal rights with men and can work in any profession, start their own business, etc. For example, a recent study conducted by Dell and the IHS research firm found that the United States has several of the best cities in the world for women to start “high-growth” businesses (i.e., companies with annual revenues of at least $1 million). According to their analysis, New York City is the #1 city in the world for female entrepreneurs, while the San Francisco Bay area was ranked #2, Washington, DC is #7, Seattle is #10, and Austin is rated #12. To read the full article, click here!
When she was 16-years-old, Fei-Fei Li and her family were approved to immigrate to the USA from China. They settled in New Jersey, where the teenage immigrant attended high school, learned the English language from scratch and went on to graduate sixth in her class. Fei-Fei Li did well in math and science and received a scholarship to attend Princeton University, where she earned a B.S. Degree in Physics. She then studied artificial intelligence and neuroscience at the California Institute of Technology (CalTech) where she earned her PhD. Today, this US immigration success story is living the American Dream as the Director of the Stanford University Artificial Intelligence Lab and was honored by the Carnegie Foundation as the Great Immigrant of 2016. To read the full article, click here!
Some of the highest paying US jobs right now are in the business services and professional sectors. Since 2010, the “white collar” sector has grown by about 3% annually and created around three-million new jobs in the USA. In 2016, approximately 20 million Americans are earning an average wage of around $30 per hour employed as “white collar” workers. Certain cities in the United States have seen a significant increase in the number people employed in business services and professional sectors, such as Nashville, Tennessee; San Francisco, California; Austin, Texas; the San Jose-Santa Clara-Sunnyvale area of California’s Silicon Valley; Dallas, Texas; and Raleigh, North Carolina. To read more, click here!
A recent study was conducted to find which cities are the healthiest places to live in America. Several factors were considered in determining how “healthy” a city is, such as the median annual income of its residents, the rate of premature deaths, the obesity of its population, the percentage of adults who lack health insurance and other health indicators. According to the results of this study, Rochester, Minnesota, is the healthiest place to live in the USA, followed by the San Jose-Santa Clara-Sunnyvale area in northern California and Ames, Iowa. To learn more about America’s healthiest cities, click here!
In June 2016, several US permanent residents took the oath to become brand new naturalized American citizens at a special ceremony held in New York City. This particular naturalization ceremony took place in Central Park on World Refugee Day and the US citizenship oath was administered to these Green Card holders by Jeh Johnson, the Secretary of Homeland Security. These new US citizens had been refugees or asylum-seekers who were granted a Green Card to live in the USA long-term as US permanent residents. Just like people who immigrate to the USA through the Green Card Lottery, these permanent residents had the option to become American citizens once they met the eligibility requirements. Many of the new US citizens expressed gratitude for being able to live in America. For example, one naturalized US citizen declared, “To come to America is basically for a better opportunity.” He went on to say, “Over here, you can get a better education, a better job.” To read the entire article, click here!
When immigrants move to America, one of the first things they want to do is obtain employment. There are, of course, US job opportunities all across America, but some cities are especially good places to find jobs in the USA. According to one study, the #1 city to look for work in America is in the San Jose-Santa Clara-Sunnyvale area of California’s Silicon Valley, where there are tens of thousands of job openings and the median annual salary is $112,000. Other great places to search for jobs in the USA are the San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward area in northern California; the Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue region in Washington state; Boston, Massachusetts; the Washington, DC area; Austin, Texas; and Salt Lake City, Utah – to name just some. To read more about the best cities to find work in America, click here!
According to the 2016 Academic Ranking of World Universities (ARWU), the United States has half of the top 100 best universities in the world. This well-respected evaluation of institutions of higher education ranked universities around the globe based on criteria such as the quality of education, quality of faculty, research output, and per capita academic performance at the university. Not only does the USA boast 50 of the world’s best 100 universities, but it has eight out of top 10 universities in the world, which the ARWU listed as the following: #1 Harvard University; #2 Stanford University; #3 University of California at Berkeley; #5 Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT); #6 Princeton University; #8 California Institute of Technology (CalTech); #9 Columbia University; and #10 University of Chicago. To read more, click here!
The United States is known for its excellent education system which enables Americans, regardless of their socioeconomic status, ethnicity or other demographic factors, to enjoy great career opportunities and have the potential for social mobility. Most children in the USA attend local public schools in their neighborhoods, which are publicly-funded by taxes and other sources. A smaller percentage of US students attend private schools, in which their parents usually pay tuition. In 2016, Niche analyzed reviews made by over 300,000 parents and students at 16,464 public high schools across the United States and ranked the best public high schools based upon such factors as academics, resources and facilities, student culture and diversity, and the quality of teachers. To read the Niche ranking of the America’s best public high schools for 2016, click here!
Most people who work in America probably want to earn as much money as they can. How much money a person receives on their paycheck can be affected by many factors, such as their education, occupation, work experience, where they live and the particular company they work for. A recent study found that people who work in America earn an average salary of about $50,000 per year. There are, however, certain companies were US jobs pay three times the average – or more! Many of the highest paying jobs in the USA are in the high-tech field or consulting sector. To learn more about the top 25 best paying companies in America, click here!
US News & World Report evaluated 100 large cities across the United States based upon such factors as the quality of life, how easy it is for people to live within their means, the local job market, the desirability to live in a particular metropolitan area, and net migration (i.e., whether more people are moving to a city or leaving it). According to this 2016 assessment, the #1 large city to live in America is Denver, Colorado, followed by #2 Austin, Texas; #3 Fayetteville, Arkansas; #4 Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina; #5 Colorado Springs, Colorado; #6 Boise, Idaho; #7 Seattle, Washington; #8 Washington, DC; #9 San Francisco, California; and #10 San Jose, California. To read more about the top 100 big cities to live in USA, including details about each city, click here!
The opportunity to live the “American Dream” is one of the key motivations for many people to immigrate to the United States. The USA is a multicultural country of immigrants where a person can get a good education, work hard, save money and buy a house or even start a business. There are countless examples of people who immigrate to the USA and make their American Dream come true, such as a man who immigrated to the United States from Mexico, raised five children, saved his money, and with no investors was able to open his own successful Mexican restaurant in Orange County, California. To read this inspiring US immigration success story, click here!
Originally from Thailand, Thai Lee lived many years in South Korea before she and her sister immigrated to the United States. After completing high school in Massachusetts, Thai Lee earned her Bachelor’s Degree from Amherst College and later got her MBA from Harvard Business School. With her impressive educational credentials, she was able to work in America for some of the top companies. In 1989, Thai Lee and her husband managed to buy an existing company for $1 million and now, in 2016, she is the CEO of a company worth $1.1 billion. Thai Lee, who is now a naturalized American citizen, has an extraordinary US immigration success story. Nonetheless, she is only one example of the many women who immigrate to the USA and then make their own fortune living in America. According to a study conducted by Forbes, 30% of the 50 “self-made women” in the USA that they examined were born outside of the United States in such countries as Belgium, Burma, Canada, China, Germany, India, Israel, Morocco, Japan, Taiwan, Turkey and the United Kingdom. To read the full article, click here!